


The (Royal?) Richardson Diaries

by pikipikimikimiki



Series: The (Royal?) Richardson Diaries [1]
Category: The Royal Romance (Visual Novel)
Genre: Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Multiple Partners, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-25
Updated: 2018-12-17
Packaged: 2019-07-02 07:00:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 140,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15791367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pikipikimikimiki/pseuds/pikipikimikimiki
Summary: Brianna Richardson attempts to escape a bad relationship by accepting the offer to be sponsored in Cordonia's social season where women are vying for Prince Liam's affections.She discovers that being in the catty environment brings up her worst memories, but she learns a few things about herself as she competes in the social season. Along the way she meets a rough-around-the-edges commoner who mirrors her own insecurities, a seemingly perfect but unsure lady, the ever entertaining Beaumont brothers, and some power hungry socialites.This is Pixelberry's The Royal Romance from the MC's POV, essentially. The story closely follows the original dialogue and story closely, but expect to see original scenes throughout.





	1. Chapter One: For the Love of Liberty

 

Brianna let out a long exhale, blowing strands of dark hair out of her face as she pulled the garbage bag out of the trash can, wrinkling her nose as some liquid leaked from the plastic. Her free hand tucked the rampant strands of hair behind her. Despite wearing her hair loose and braiding the pieces prone to falling in her face off to the side, the humid heat from the restaurant's kitchen was only making her hair frizz and dampen against her skull. The muggy heat pressed her uniform against her skin, and it clung to her like an old lover, unwelcome but familiar. She finished tying the garbage bag and dragged it to the back alley, reveling in the cool night breeze. Her coworker, an eager young man named Daniel, followed her while lugging his own overflowing bag.

"Just another glamorous New York Saturday night of hauling trash to the dumpster," she teased, her laughter light. "It could be worse," he replied with a grunt as he lifted his bag into the dumpster. She turned to look at him, a questioning look on her face, before he continued, "There could be—rats!" Daniel jumped away, his feet skittering on the concrete. "Brianna, help!"

Clicking her tongue, Brianna shook her head as she stepped closer. "Don't tell me you're afraid of this adorable little mouse family. They're trying to get by, just like us," she said, her voice taking on a dramatic, dreamy quality. Daniel hid a chuckle but quickly smoothed his face as their manager, Chad, popped his head out from the restaurant. "Hey! Brianna, Daniel, quit slacking off over there!" His voice was sharp and Brianna rolled her eyes at Daniel in response.

"You  _told_  us to take out the garbage," she replied shortly, crossing her arms. Chad was equally unimpressed, his face a sneer.

"And now I'm  _telling_  you to wait on the bachelor party that just rolled in." He looked between the pair and sighed heavily. "Chop chop!"

Brianna and Daniel exchanged a look and she shrugged at him before making their way back inside. The restaurant wasn't the worst job in the world, but her manager was just awful. Still, it paid the bills and the tips were often good. With Hunter gone, it was what she was doing to move on, and she was trying. That thought, the memory of him, was was painful, so she did her best to shake it away as she slipped into the slightly cooler restaurant.

Three handsome men stood near the door and Brianna rolled her shoulders back, shrugging off Chad's bad attitude. There was a good potential for tip here, but she suspected Daniel might want the cash too. It was almost like a joke, too, something like 'so three handsome men walk into a bar' but she didn't know what the punch line would be.

Before she could ask Daniel for the table, one of the men—Tariq, the one that looked the most well groomed in his lilac button up—was addressing her. "Waitress, there you are. We need your best table!" He was the kind of man who she imagined would never look unkempt in his life, and though he should have been unlikable on principle, her lips twitched in amusement at his words. Despite the waxed eyebrows, there was something endearing about the way his chest puffed out as he admired the place. It almost made her want to impress him.

Next to him stood Drake. He was a very tall, broad, muscular man. Brianna's eyebrow arched ever so slightly at him as he chuckled good-naturedly. He immediately caught her attention as he was the  _exact_  kind of guy she went for. "Forget the table. Just bring us whiskey, and lots of it." Brianna resisted the urge to roll her eyes at him. A rugged man, here he was to prove just how damn manly he was. He was unassumingly handsome with a shock of dark hair that was a little too long in an unkempt way, rather than a fashion statement. Plus, he was wearing a denim shirt with jeans—a Canadian tux, as Hunter would proudly say. Ouch. Why was he on her mind tonight? She could hardly blame the men for their behaviour, of course, as a bachelor party wasn't usually the time to be perfect gentlemen.

Daniel glanced nervously at her. "Brianna, please take this one. I've got a date tonight, and I'll never make it of here in time…" he trailed off hopefully, his brows raised eagerly. Brianna's mouth popped open in surprise.

"You really want me to take the bachelor party? I'm on it," she replied quickly, grinning, "the tip will be insane! I'll have those guys eating out of my hand in no time." Brianna smoothed her unflattering outfit down and fluffed her hair as Daniel thanked her profusely.

Chad walked by with an audible grunt in annoyance. "Are you two  _still_ talking? I've seated them already. Now get over there before I dock your pay!" He whisked away, and Brianna made a face behind his back before moving over to the booth. Daniel snickered as he packed his things up, giving her a thumbs-up and a dorky smile. He was such a  _nice_  guy, and she silently wished him luck on his date. As she moved to the booth, she gave Daniel a surreptitious little wave before turning her charm on for the bachelor party.

"Hello gentleman," she greeted them politely, her voice a purr complimented with a smile. "I'll be taking care of you this evening." The man who hadn't spoken yet, Maxwell, with his sparkling eyes and spiked hair, grinned at her while ordering steaks for the table. As soon as Tariq inquired about filet mignon, with béarnaise sauce to boot, Brianna's eyebrows shot up and she bit her lower lip to hide her smile. She nodded intently at his request, as if she were actually entertaining the possibility. "The closest thing we have to filet mignon is the deluxe burger," she told him with a little gleam in her eye. He looked deflated and paused before hesitantly asking about the wine list. "We've got an excellent vintage house red…" she began, her voice trailing at his shock. "It also comes in white," she deadpanned. Brianna met Drake's eyes in what felt like a shared understanding. To her surprise, she felt a little flutter in her chest as he offered her a smile in return before ordering a bottle of whisky with four burgers for the table. Brianna's head tilted slightly as she looked at the men. "Four?" The whisky lover tilted his chin to motion behind her, and when she turned…  _ **wow**_.

He was impossibly handsome, standing over six feet tall with broad shoulders. There was a quiet confidence about him, almost a regality. His skin was tanned, popping against his blue eyes, and his dirty blonde hair tousled  _just so_. Liam. He apologized for being late, and even asked her name. Brianna's mouth opened slightly in surprise and she managed a stupid, "Uh, Brianna." Liam said he was charmed to make her acquaintance—who even says things like that?—and she swallowed thickly. "The pleasure's all mine," she managed with a wobbling smile, "it's nice to meet you."  _Whoa he's cute._  Brianna straightened her posture as she moved to the kitchen to get their orders in. Thankfully the men were fairly content with her service and didn't need much extra attention, but as she wiped down the bar, she felt a gentle tap on her shoulder. Liam.

"I think we're about ready to head out. I just wanted to thank you… and apologize. I know we kept you late, and my friends can be… demanding," he said with an apologetic chuckle, his tone light. Brianna shook her head in protest. "Demanding? It was nothing I can't handle." Her palms grew a little sweaty under his attentive gaze.

"I got the feeling that you could take care of yourself," he said, his eyes flicking over her face carefully. "If you don't have any other plans tonight, maybe I can make it up to you by buying you a drink. We're about to go to a club."

Brianna's interest was piqued. "Oh? Which one?" A small smile tugged on the man's lips as he shrugged good-naturedly. "We were hoping you might have some advice about that. We're not from around here."  _No kidding, they don't make them like this in New York_ , she thought, allowing herself a quick glance at his body once more.

"I'd recommend going to a gorgeous secret cove by the beach. Forget the club," she said with a little shrug. Brianna had never really been one for the club scene, not since her late teenage days at least. The cove was a secluded little spot, and something about him seemed to repel the idea of a club. Maxwell, however, was bouncing a leg under the booth and she wondered idly if she had just ruined a night of dancing for him.

"You know…" he mused, his voice deep and powerful in the dingy restaurant. "That actually sounds perfect. To be honest, I'm getting a little tired of the usual bachelor party antics." This surprised Brianna, but when he prompted her to join the group and lead the way to the cove, her mouth opened slightly in surprise. She agreed, too quickly, and they made plans to meet in a few minutes. Brianna hastily closed the restaurant up, doing a little jog to the break room. Luckily, she had worn a spunky outfit of dark jeans, high heels, a maroon silk top, and a black leather jacket to work, so slipping into the outfit felt like a huge step up from her slightly damp uniform. It wasn't quite as well put together as some of the men's outfits (seriously, pulling off lilac was a bold move for most men) but it did add some appeal to her otherwise frizzing hair and smudging makeup. She wet her hands and smoothed them over her loose curls and spritzed some perfume before heading outside to where the men were waiting on the sidewalk, laughing at some inside joke.

* * *

Brianna joined them with a little bounce, and Drake, the one in the denim getup, let out a little 'wow', his eyebrows raised and his mouth open. She flushed a little, catching his eye with a small smirk. "Wow?" she repeated curiously. Brianna noticed he was the tallest and the most muscular, though Liam was a close second. She knew Drake was likely either tipsy or playing up his reaction, but it still felt nice to be noticed. He smoothed his surprised face and cleared his throat. "I… almost didn't recognize you."

Perhaps she underestimated him. Brianna felt the heat in her face intensify at his praise. The other men complimented her, making her feel both confident and shy until Maxwell exclaimed, with a big grin, "The waitress is  _hot._ " Brianna hid a laugh behind her hand but was surprised to see Liam clear his throat roughly.

"Her name is Brianna, and I doubt she appreciates you talking about her like that." His voice was quite stern, and his body language shifted. It wasn't quite aggressive, but it was certainly commanding. Maxwell apologized, and she waved her hand dismissively with a smile. Drake's face was neutral, but his tone was flat as he crossed his arms. "So she's our tour guide now?"

Liam caught his eye. "Brianna was kind enough to agree to show us around. She's doing us a favour, so play nice."

She looked to Drake, who was watching her with his arms still crossed, and she bit her lower lip gently _. It wouldn't be so bad if Drake didn't play nice_. Brianna pushed the thought out of her mind as she slid into the limo after the men. The ride was surprisingly short and much more luxurious than she was used to. Maxwell poured glasses of champagne for the entire group, and Brianna settled into the deluxe leather seating as she sipped away, listening to the group interact with each other. The limo pulled up to the beach, and she let out a little happy exhale. It was stunning in the evening, the teal ocean shimmering in the moonlight, a tempting invitation. Immediately the guys ran off the ocean, and Brianna followed, enjoying the salty sting of the night air.

Drake moved off to the side, rubbing his hands on his pants excitedly. "We should build a bonfire," he suggested, a grin spreading across his face. It was a good look for him, but Tariq immediately frowned. "I'm not doing manual labour," Tariq whined, his nose crinkled in disgust. Drake shook his head playfully, looking upwards. "Sorry, I forgot who I was talking to. What I meant was,  _I'll_  go build a bonfire," Drake replied with emphasis.

"This place is awesome!" Maxwell called from the edge of the ocean. "Skinny dipping!" His shoes and socks were laying in the sand, and his hands were moving to his belt. Tariq sucked his teeth reprovingly and admonished Maxwell.

Brianna laughed, hanging back with Liam. They seemed like a great group of guys, if she was honest, and she was glad she came out to show them this slice of heaven.

"Thank you for bringing us here. I can tell the guys are enjoying themselves already," Liam spoke softly, but she could hear the sincerity of his words. She turned her face to the ocean, watching the waves shimmer beautifully in the quiet of the evening. "I bet you're used to putting everyone else first," she said, the words slipping out without much consideration. She was quiet, but he heard her. Liam turned his head to the side to look at her. "And why would you say that?"

Brianna met his eyes, the corner of her lips curling up. "I can tell," she said firmly. "I'm good at reading people. Now, forget about your friends," Brianna moved herself to face him completely, "what about you? Do  _you_  like it here?"

"I love it," he said quickly, assuredly. Briana's face grew somber. "It's my secret spot, so I'm really trusting you," she said gravely. Liam's eyes flashed in amusement, but he smoothed his face into an equally muted expression. "I'll do my best to be worthy of that trust."

Something was in the air around them, a bigger promise than their silly banter. Liam broke it with a little humming noise followed by his musings. "There's just one problem… how am I supposed to buy you that drink?" She shifted her feet, keeping her eyes on his. He was entering flirtatious territory, and she wasn't sure if it was a game she wanted to play with him. Liam was too attractive to not realize his effect, but she also didn't have anything to lose. "You'll think of something," she said, tapping her lips with her finger, "or maybe you'll just keep owing me."

Liam nodded, "Fair enough. So, what should  _we_ do?" Brianna looked out at the ocean and to the cliff, weighing her options. "We should climb up the cliff!" She wasn't quite ready to strip down to her underwear, or less, despite Maxwell's infectious energy. Liam followed her gaze to the rocky cliff a short walk away, and his lips parted to let his tongue lick them nervously. "All the way up there?" he asked, his voice a little higher than it has been earlier.

Brianna's face broke into a smile. "Try to keep up!" She jogged off to the cliff, laughing as she heard him follow her. "If I can do it in these heels," she scoffed, holding out her foot for him to admire, "you can do it too." Truthfully, it was barely a cliff as it sloped gently allowing for an easy climb, and she was able to secure handholds and places for her feet with ease. After a few minutes, she pulled herself to the top with a deep exhale. "Did it." She turned behind her, offering her hand down to pull Liam up, who accepted thankfully.

The view was stunning. It was high enough up to put a new perspective on the night, and she could faintly smell the wood that Drake had likely started burning. "What do you think?" she asked, walking to the precipice and looking up at the stars darted in the sky. Like gems on a dark, velvety blanket. "Huh?" Liam seemed confused, looking at her for guidance. She chuckled, nudging his arm and jutting her chin upward. "The view. Worth the climb, right?" Liam laughed in response, nodding. "Oh, definitely." They stood together in silence. It was surprisingly comfortable between the two of them, and it made her curious as to just who this was and what exactly his game was tonight. Daniel would have told her to stop being silly, there was no game, but she wasn't single for lack of trying. It was odd, too, because he wasn't the kind of guy who she usually liked, or who liked her. Brianna turned to look at him for just a moment. He was unbelievably handsome, likely the most attractive person she had ever seen in front of her, and he seemed too…  _nice_ , in a way.

After a few minutes of dissecting the situation, she shivered under the leather jacket. Liam frowned, turning to her. "Cold?" She looked down at her feet. This was nice, and she didn't want to end their alone time, but she had to admit defeat. "Maybe just a little…" He nodded, looking down on the other members of their party. "I see that the guys got the bonfire going. Let's head back down and warm up." The two allowed themselves one final look to the amazing view and then moved down the cliff, making their way back to the beach. The guys had scattered, each nearby but enjoying their own pursuit, so Liam gently led Brianna to the fire, getting them settled on a large, decrepit log. Brianna smiled gratefully, holding her hands to the flame and rubbing them together.

"Tonight's been quite the adventure…" Liam said, seating himself on the log beside her. He turned his profile to Brianna. "I never thought my night out on the town would end up like this. You're really something else, aren't you?"

Brianna's face broke into a smile. "I'm going to take that as a compliment."

He nodded. "Believe me, it is. Spending time with you tonight has been the most fun I've had this entire vacation." That surprised her, and she felt the shock register on her face. "I guess that means you haven't really been enjoying yourself very much," she said slowly, watching his face closely. He sighed softly. "It's been wonderful, but there's something missing. I really wanted to do one thing in particular while I was here…"

Brianna wanted to believe the best in this dashing man with the eyes that mirrored the ocean, but she couldn't help wonder if this would be some abhorrent pick-up line about banging a local. "And what's that?" she said, keeping her face neutral. Liam rubbed his hands together anxiously. "It's… well… you're probably going to think it's silly, but I've always wanted to see the Statue of Liberty," he said in a bit of a rush, and she smiled. It was so sweet and… simple. There was something there, behind his eyes, that made her wonder if he normally kept this kind of thought to himself. "It wasn't really in the guys' plan, so we just never got around to it," Liam continued with a shrug, "and now it's my last day here. I don't mean to sound so ungrateful. It was thoughtful for them to throw me this bachelor party."

She swallowed thickly at his words. This was Liam's bachelor party. Of course. Liam continued, oblivious to her reaction. "They've done their best, but I'm not in the mood to celebrate." Brianna rubbed her forehead, trying to process what he said. "Wait a second, it's your bachelor party? You're pretty flirty for an engaged guy. I don't think your fiancée would be too happy about that," she said primly, discretely scooting away from him on the log. How foolish of her to think he wasn't just trying to get one more woman in the sack before settling down… he did say he wasn't in the mood to celebrate, after all.

"That's the funny thing," he said, "I actually don't know who I'm going to marry yet… only that I'll have to pick my fiancée by the end of the year." Brianna eyed him questioningly, her brows knotted. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"The truth is, Brianna… I'm the Crown Prince of Cordonia." Liam watched her carefully, and she felt her confusion and shock written on her face. "You're a prince?" she repeated slowly, and he nodded. That should have been a lot to process, but in Brianna's mind, it just solidified what she already knew. This was fun, but nothing was really going to happen from this experience and he was still the same person. It didn't really affect her.

"This doesn't change anything. I don't care what your title is. You're still the same guy I met earlier this evening… caring, thoughtful…" Brianna looked into the fire for a few moments, watching the flames dominate the logs, crackling with power. "I've seen a lot of customers come and go, but I've never seen any guy at his own bachelor party be concerned about whether the waitress was having a good night." Brianna met his eyes again with a smile which he returned heartily.

"You don't know how rare it is to hear someone say that. You're the first one, in fact." He scooted a little closer to her, lowering his voice slightly. "It seems the more I talk to you, the more I like you, Brianna." She felt her heart flutter a little in her chest. "It's strange…" Liam says with a bit of a mirthless chuckle, "I've known my whole life that I have to take up the duties of the monarchy. I've always wondered how that's shaped me, who I might've been without the crown. You could be anything, do anything. What drives you, Brianna?"

Slightly caught off guard by the question, she exhaled slowly. "What I really want to do is… live every day to the fullest. Sure, I'm only waiting tables now, but… I like to make every day an adventure." Brianna smiled up at the sky as she took in a deep breath of the intoxicating air. "You only get one chance at life. I want to make mine mean something."  _I want to make it mean something again._ Liam's grin was genuine and supportive. "That's beautiful, Brianna."

She turned to see Maxwell splashing Tariq while drinking champagne as Tariq complained about his leather shoes being ruined. Drake shook his head and made a comment about the sheer size of Tariq's wardrobe. Brianna chuckled, nodding to the group. "Looks like your friends are having fun…" she said.

Liam nodded. "Good. I'm happy for them. They deserve to have fun. Tomorrow, it's back to Cordonia for the start of the social season."

Brianna's eyes flashed. "But it's not tomorrow yet."

"What are you suggesting?" Liam asked, his energy shifting to anticipation. Brianna angled her body to him, her voice excited. "You said you wanted to see the Statue of Liberty. Let's do it! I know a place where we can catch a boat tour. Best view in town."

Liam's eyebrows shot up. "Right now? But it's way past midnight. Won't all the tours be closed?" Brianna blew a raspberry in mock disappointment. "Oh… right. I forgot how late it's gotten. In that case… you're lucky I can call in a favor." In his surprise, his eyebrows rose even further. "A favor? And just like that, you can get us on a tour boat after midnight to see the Statue of Liberty?"

Brianna chuckled at his words, tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear in a humbling move. "Well, maybe a few favours, actually, but I have some friends who owe me." It wouldn't be exceedingly difficult to get Kevin and Gretchen to arrange a private viewing since they owned a tour company anyway, but she didn't wanted Liam to know he wasn't the only one with a trick up his sleeve tonight. Plus, the sparkle in his eye when he realized she was serious… it was adorable.

"It won't be easy, but I know this important to you, so… let's go!" Brianna said somewhat breathlessly, pulling her phone out of her pocket and texting her friends.  _Hey, I need a huge favour… think we can take the boat out to lady liberty tonight?_

"Right now?" Liam was incredulous.

She shrugged a little, looking at the time once more on her phone. "It's only getting later every minute we wait. Besides, it looks like the guys are busy enough. I bet they won't even notice you're gone."

"You're not going to take no for an answer, are you?"

Brianna checked her phone. One new text from Gretchen.  _You're impossible, Bree. See you at the docks._  Her face broke out into a silly grin. "Nope." He eyed her cautiously, letting the smile tease his lips. "Then I happily surrender to your demands."

* * *

Their cab ride was quiet, but the pair kept stealing looks at each other. Brianna wasn't entirely sure what she wanted to happen here since she knew that this wouldn't go anywhere, but she couldn't help her mind from running away just a little. It had been so long since she had fallen for someone, and she always seemed to chase the wrong men. She scoffed at her thoughts, because as if she knew enough about Liam to determine he wasn't the wrong kind of man, but she knew Liam was different. He was so… posh, so unbelievably handsome and polite.

They pulled up to the docks and Liam paid the cab driver before she could even argue. He slipped out of the car with an impossible grace, like he was born and bred to move deliberately. With a wry smile, she realized this was probably true. He moved to open her door with an understated little flourish, and Brianna worked hard not to look to surprised. She accepted the chauvinistic move with a little nod of her head before leading the way to the docks. The city was a sprawling dark sky juxtaposed with the alive, twinkling buildings. The water reflected all the lights back and created a stunning view for them… different than the hidden cove, but still beautiful. Brianna led him to the railing overlooking the view and leaned her arms against the cool metal. "…and here we wait."

Liam rested his hands on the railing, keeping his posture upright. "For?"

"A magical boat I've summoned just for you."

They shared a moment of silence before Liam exhaled happily. "Not a bad view..." he murmured. She looked over and saw the sparkle of his eyes as he gazed out on the city that, evidently, did not sleep. He must have sensed her looking as her turned his head, catching her eye with a smile. Brianna returned it easily, clearing her throat lightly.

"Now I'm dying to know why you're so eager to see the Statue of Liberty," she began, turning to look at the statue in the distance. Liam kept his eyes on her, a quiet laugh escaping. "Can't you guess?"

"You want to see the Statue of Liberty because… you might never come back here," she spoke slowly, realizing the words were true as soon as they left her lips. She adjusted her leaning against the railing, turning her body to his. His face was solemn.

"You're right. Even if I'm ever able to return to New York, it certainly wouldn't be as a tourist. I have a feeling I'll regret it if I don't see the one thing I wished to do when we left Cordonia." Liam's eyes were dark with something she couldn't quite place, and he searched her face intensely. "Knowing I was so close to what I wanted, but I didn't reach out and grab it." A silence settled between them, and Liam broke their gaze, his shoulders slumped. It was a slight change, but the shift in his intense posture was easy to see.

"Liam…"

Before Brianna could make any assumptions, she was cut off by a horn blasting as their boat glided through the dark water, Kevin waving at them.

"There's our ride!"

It took a few minutes to get Liam introduced to her inside connections, Kevin and Gretchen, and to get settled on the boat. Soon they were off again, moving quickly towards the statue. Brianna's friends were kind enough to give the pair space, and they enjoyed the first few minutes in silence, taking in the view at the edge of the boat, leaning against the railing.

Liam seemed particularly delighted as he shook his head in disbelief at the view. "Part of me didn't think you'd pull this off."

"You didn't think I could pull it off?" she repeated, cocking her head to the side with a sly smile. "You just don't know me very well."

"You're right." There was a weight to Liam's words. "But I'd like to fix that. You're fascinating, Brianna. Why are you doing this for me?"

"I'm doing this because you seemed like you needed it," she replied with a little shrug. There was a little more to it, but it was the simplest truth. It may have also had to do with her renowned sense of adventure, his handsome face, or even her desire to be nothing like the person Hunter had wanted her to be. That last thought struck a nerve.

"That's… so sweet of you. To be honest, no one's ever done anything like this for me before." He shrugged slightly.

Brianna scoffed. "Really? Come on, you're a prince. I bet people do thing for you all the time." Visions of massages, champagne, foot rubs, and endless gourmet meals flashed in her mind.

"I do get all the perks that come with being royalty, but no one's ever seen me as just…  _me._ No one's ever listened to me the way you do. No one's every come up with a spur-of-the-moment plan to make my dreams come true." There was the smallest whisper of sadness in his voice, but he spoke in mostly a matter-of-fact way that made her heart ache for him.

Brianna sighed softly. This man who she had put in such a box was surprising her. Perhaps he too felt there was nothing to lose tonight. It must have been refreshing to be able to share his thoughts freely. "Liam, what else do you dream about?"

"Finding someone. Someone who can be the queen that Cordonia needs."

Brianna nodded. "And… also someone you fall in love with, right?" Wasn't that the dream? Didn't everyone want that?

"That's never been part of the criteria that the Corodonian Council uses," he replied carefully, moving away from the railing of the boat as it slowed. The water was misting up around the pair as the Statue of Liberty grew impossibly close, stunning them into silence. Liam was quiet for a long moment.

"So? What do you think?" she asked, her voice low in anticipation.

"Magnificent," he breathed. "I've heard that art has meaning because of what it makes the viewer  _feel_. Whether it's ink splatters on a canvas or the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, it only matters if it moves you."

"And?"

"And right now, looking at this view with you, I feel like anything is possible. Thank you for this moment, Brianna. This feeling… this means more to me than you could ever know."

She swallowed thickly, letting a few beats of silence pass. "Liam…" Words failed her as her voice trailed off.

"I want you to know that I admire you. Your adventurous spirit. The way you follow your heart." His face was bright with possibility, but he was guarded. She could see it in him, sense it in everything that he did.

"You can live that way too." Brianna's voice was soft, and she reached her hand out to his, but hesitated. He didn't notice, but sighed at her words. He shook his head in response. "If only. My whole life I've prepared myself to do what's best for Cordonia."

"Well, we're not in Cordonia now…" Brianna moved closer to him, her chin tilting up to meet his eyes. His body was so warm in the cold night, and she reached her hand out to graze his cheek. Liam's eyes flashed with surprise, but before she could read his expression further, she pulled him in and kissed him on his full lips. They were so soft and inviting… it was comfortable, like coming home after a long day.

Liam took a little half step back, his expression reading complete surprise. Brianna bit her lower lips shyly, feeling her cheeks flush. Had she read something into his actions that weren't there? Before she could overanalyze the situation, he closed their distance and his mouth was on hers. He was so respectful it was almost adorable. He kept his hands on her hips, and when she moved her hand to his back to pull him closer, he pressed his forehead against hers, ending the kiss. "You're full of surprises, aren't you?" he whispered.

"I try," she replied, wanting to feel his lips on hers again. She supposed it was for the best, to cut this thing off before it could really start. There was nowhere for this relationship, if it even was that, to go.

"I'm glad to have met you, Brianna. I'll never forget this night…"

She wouldn't either. She opted to go home straight from the Statue of Liberty, but made Liam promise to send her well wishes to the bachelor party. When she undressed that night, she let her hands linger on her collarbone, drifting to her lips, feeling where he had touched her. Liam.

* * *

She was able to sleep with the memory of their kiss on her mind, but her blaring alarm was unsympathetic to her memories the next day. Brianna quieted the alarm, stretching as the morning sun filtered into her apartment.  _Last night was fun… but it's time to face the real world…_   _and that means going back to work._  Her morning was uneventful as she got ready for work, her mind cluttered during her jog, her lips lonely as she applied balm, her mind racing as she missed the adventure of last night. Finally she got dressed, opting to wear her uniform as she was running a little late. Luckily the restaurant was fairly close, so she was able to make it with a few minutes to spare.

The day was shaping up to be a hot one, and she was already feeling a little frazzled when she turned the corner to the restaurant, but nothing prepared her to see the limousine. Maxwell's head popped out of the window and he waved before hopping out.

"Brianna! Glad I caught you. We're heading back to Cordonia so Liam can find someone to marry and all that jazz. But before I go, I wanted to officially extend you and invitation to join us for the festivities in Cordonia." The smile on his face was infectious as his brown eyes danced with excitement.

All Brianna could manage was a stupid, "Huh?"

He laughed. "You wouldn't usually be allowed to join… but I want to sponsor you!"

She was surprised, to say the least. "Sponsor me?" Her voice wavered slightly, and she cleared her throat, flushing slightly.

"I'm from a noble house, but I don't have any sisters, so we don't have anyone in contention to marry the Prince. Instead, we can sponsor any girl we choose. And you're my pick." Maxwell's smile was bright and lopsided. He reminded her of a chocolate lab puppy, in the nicest way possible, with intense friendliness and boundless energy.

Despite his vibrating energy, she frowned and shook her head slightly. This was so confusing to her… not the concept, of course, but the decision. Brianna knew she wasn't anything special—not in a woe-is-me way, but more in a realistic way where she understood her place in society. "You want to sponsor me? Why me?"

"I'm not just doing it for you. I saw how Liam looked at you last night. I've never seen him so happy. Honestly? I don't want him to lose that." With a good natured chuckle, he lifted his wrist and tapped at his wrist. "We're kinda crunched for time, though. I've got a plane leaving within the hour…"

Brianna scoffed playfully, her mind racing. "Whoa. You're moving a little fast, don't you think?" This wasn't something that happened to people in real life. She caught her lip with her teeth, chewing lightly as she thought about the possibility of going to Cordonia. It was too scandalous to even wrap her mind around.

"No time to waste. The opening masquerade is tonight! It's the start of the…uh, I guess you could say, it's the start of the competition." His brow furrowed in thought, as if realizing for the first time, before his expression smoothed into a smile.

Brianna crossed her arms in front of her. The competition? This whole situation was so foreign to her. "What do you mean?"

"There's a whole horde of gorgeous, rich, noble women vying to become Cordonia's next queen. And it's not  _just_  about winning the prince's hand. You've also got to prove to the council that you can rule Cordonia with him. But I think you've got what it takes. You're witty and charming."

"Uh, thanks." Surprised. "So… a fancy masquerade… and what else am I getting myself into?"

"Fun stuff, I promise! You'll get to go yachting in the Mediterranean, skiing in the alps, and dancing in the royal palace. Or, y'know, you can stay here… and go back to your waitressing gig with your crappy boss," Maxwell said with a gesture to the restaurant in front of them with a little chuckle. "That's probably about as good."

She couldn't do it. There was so much to consider. Brianna couldn't just walk in an quit her job, it was a ridiculous concept. There were bills to pay and things to take care of in her small apartment. Besides, she barely knew anything about Cordonia, or Liam for that matter.

Her mouth opened, to tell Maxwell that she couldn't do it, but she saw Hunter's face before she could respond.  _You'll never do better than me._ She swallowed. Brianna didn't believe that any more, or she wanted to work to not believe that. Before the memory of him took over her, something else crept into her subconscious. The warmth of Liam's kiss still on her lips, the mischievous sparkle of Drake's eye as it met hers… It was the memories of possibility. What her life could be with a sense of adventure.

"I'm in," she said, the words tumbling out before she could even consider them.

“Yeah! Go pack your bags. This is going to be the adventure of a lifetime!" Maxwell shouted, clapping his hands in excitement as he ducked back into the vehicle. She let out a slow breath, her limbs shaking with energy. This was it. She wasn’t the person Hunter always wanted her to be any more. She was, for the first time in a long time, Brianna Richardson again. She tilted her head to the sky, taking in a deep breath of the morning air as the sun sparkled down on the bustling city.

 

It felt good.

 

* * *

* * *

 

 


	2. Chapter Two: Bureaucratic Ballrooms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The social season kicks off with the masquerade ball, but Brianna is still adjusting to her new life and the expectations that follow.
> 
> **NSFW: Language**

* * *

* * *

 

The next hour was a blur. Brianna had to beg Maxwell to delay the plan taking off while she packed her bags, set up bill payments, quit her job, notified her family, and did all of the general housekeeping things that one needs to do when packing up and leaving the country on a whim. Luckily Maxwell offered some funds from House Beaumont to cover some of Brianna’s expenses in New York while her magical adventure began, though a small part of her wondered why they wouldn’t cover all of her costs. That was a selfish thought that she shelved immediately, but she couldn’t deny that it crossed her mind.

 

Finally, blessedly, she was able to relax for just a moment, trying to revel in the richness of the private plane. She felt stupid in her waitressing uniform as in the maddening rush, she had forgotten to change. Thankfully she had popped a black tank top and some dark wash jeans in her carry on. It likely wasn’t enough for a potential princess, but she slipped into the bathroom to change anyway. Besides, it was just her, Drake, and Maxwell on the plane. She caught Maxwell’s eye as she returned to her seat, and he flashed her a thumbs up and an excited little shriek.

 

“Say ‘goodbye’ to New York and ‘hello’ to Cordonia,” he sang happily, leaning forward in his seat eagerly. His enthusiasm was infectious, and she leaned back in her seat with a smitten sigh.

 

“I can’t believe this is actually happening…” Brianna’s eyes sparkled with wonder as she traced the intricate patterns of the wallpapered side of the plane, reveling the luxurious leather seat. It was so glamorous in here, and she really couldn’t comprehend how much her life was going to be changed in the upcoming weeks if this was only her first taste.

 

“Believe it,” Drake scoffed, his voice rough as he nursed a glass of water. She idly wondered if he wished it was something else, watching his strong hands grip the glass. “We’ll be landing soon, ready or not. And if you’re _not_ ready, those ladies are going to eat you alive.”

 

Maxwell frowned deeply, glancing between Brianna and Drake. “Yeesh, don’t scare her, Drake,” he said under his breath, turning to her. “You okay, Brianna?”

 

“Honestly? They should be afraid of me,” she chuckled with a little snort. Not her most endearing quality, and she flushed slightly under Drake’s careful gaze.

 

“Heh.” A genuine laugh from Drake. “Cocky. You might actually survive.”

 

Brianna felt her cheeks growing even warmer as Drake’s smile brightened his face. He was so handsome when he was happy, and she felt like she had really earned it from him. Not that it really mattered, she supposed, when the whole reason for her being on the plane was for the prince.

 

“I don’t get why you’re being so grim about this…” she said with a shrug, but Drake nearly cut her off before she could organize her thoughts. “Look, no offense, but I’ve seen girls like you come and go. It never ends well. Not for you, not for Liam, not for the royal family.”

 

Maxwell clicked his tongue loudly. “Brianna’s not some crown-chaser.”

 

Brianna sighed softly, fighting a small smile threatening to pull at her lips. Not that Maxwell was exceptionally furious, but he was absolutely agitated, and it seemed to fight against everything in his bubbly nature. Brianna felt flattered that he would stand up for her like that, and she flashed him an appreciative smile.

 

“Drake, to be fair, _you’re_ more my type,” she said.

 

“Hah.” Drake was the master of deadpan expressions, and it made her want to elicit some sort of reaction from him.

 

“I’m serious. I don’t usually go for rich boys, much less royalty.” How true. Hunter was the typical bad boy, and she felt a warning, sick feeling in her stomach at the thought of him and how poorly her decisions had led her in the past. Plus, Drake was too attractive to not know his own appeal.

 

Their conversation was interrupted by the pilot announcing the plane’s descent, but Brianna saw Drake’s expression change to something far more serious as his cheeks turned a little pink.

 

Oblivious to the light flirtation, Maxwell pulled his face off of the tiny window in the plane. “Hey, look!” he shouted, and she winced lightly before he lowered his voice, “you can see Cordonia out the window! Brianna, you won’t want to miss this!”

 

The view was astonishing. The sea was the most majestic deep blue and the jagged cliffs jutted into the sea, covered in sprawling green grass. The buildings were historic and architecturally stunning with age. Everything sat on the bottom of the hill, closer to the sea, and buildings grew sparser closer to the castle at the top of the hill, a stunning structure that really did inspire awe in Brianna.

 

“That’s Cordonia? It’s smaller than I expected,” she teased. Maxwell didn’t realize she was joking as he straightened his posture, turning to her seriously. “That may be, but our small kingdom has it’s charms…” he trailed off weakly as she winked at him. Rejuvenated, he smiled back at her. “You’ll see when we get there. Are you ready?”

 

“Ready as I’ll ever be.”

 

* * *

 

 

The car ride was long from the airport, or perhaps it just felt that way with her nerves and anticipation. Maxwell kept the conversation going single handed, a feat she admired, while Brianna watched the sprawling landscapes with a childlike wonder and, unbeknownst to her, Drake watched the newest member of their party with a guarded curiosity.

 

The castle grounds had a gorgeous garden off to the side where the trio pulled up. She motioned to it, ready to ask Maxwell about the maze she spotted, but her attention was drawn to the intricate fountain that seemed to house liquid diamonds instead of water with the way the liquid shimmered and danced in the sunlight. She was breathless as they stopped and Maxwell bounced out, escorting her from the car with a flourish.  
  
“The Royal Palace,” he announced, excitement buzzing in his voice. “Welcome to your home for the next few months, Brianna.”

 

It was unreal. The castle was stunning, decorated in deep blue and gold, sprawling across the lawn. There were the brightest flower bushes tucked behind immaculate hedges, framing the whole area in an unprecedented glamour and richness. Brianna exhaled dreamily. This was beyond anything she could have imagined, and she stepped forward a little on the cobblestone driveway, trying to ignore the fact that her worn grey sneakers were likely the most inexpensive thing to ever touch this property.  
  
“This is where I’m staying?” she marveled with a hand motion to the palace. Maxwell nodded eagerly. “I didn’t realize I’d be living _in_ the palace.”

Maxwell shrugged a little as if it wasn’t really a big deal. “Most of the nobility live here while the social season is underway… including all the ladies vying for Liam’s hand.”

 

Right, the competition. It felt stupid to think of it that way, like some kind of royal version of _The Bachelor_.  
  
Drake rubbed his stubble, hiding a smile. “Yeah, living under one roof just makes it easier to attend the rose ceremony later…”

 

She looked at him, panic in her eyes. No way, there’s couldn’t be a rose ceremony, that was absurd. She noticed Maxwell scoffing and rolling his eyes at Drake, and her face broke into a relieved smile.

 

“Drake’s just kidding… at least about the roses,” Maxwell reassured her, his eyes skyward. “Anyway, I’ll show you to your room, Brianna.”

 

“This is my cue to take off. See you around… if you’re lucky,” Drake said, raising a hand in parting before moving back to the car. _No kidding_ , she thought, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear as she watched him leave.

 

Before the curiosity of Drake’s itinerary could take up too much of her time, Maxwell beckoned her to follow him. The foyer showcased a grand staircase made of marble and gold with a deep red carpet down the center. Artwork hung in golden frames at the landing, and the air smelled like vanilla and cinnamon—almost like someone had been baking earlier. The palace was stunning on the inside with sprawling marble floors, cherry wood, and wildly expensive décor everywhere. Brianna almost couldn’t even absorb just how stunning every room or hallways was because each new piece of art or statue impressed her even more. Still, she couldn’t get her mind of Drake and she decided to bring it up to Maxwell.  
  
“So what’s the deal with Drake?” she asked, keeping her voice nonchalant. “Why is he so jaded?”  
  
“Drake’s never really… fit in,” Maxwell explained weakly.  
  
“Not used to courtly life?”  
  
He shook his head with a friendly scoff. “Definitely not. He’s a commoner. He’s… always been an outsider here. Even if he is Liam’s best friend.”

 

Brianna followed her guide the rest of the way without asking any more questions, instead mulling over the limited information she had about Drake. She could understand the feeling of not quite fitting in. Hunter used to drag her to those rich dinner parties and snort coke with his friends in the bathroom while she pushed around sous-vide duck breast and made weak conversation. Thinking about that made her feel so stupid and small again…

 

“You’re room’s here in the west wing. In case you need anything from me or my brother, our rooms are just a couple doors away.”

 

“I didn’t know you had a brother,” Brianna said, watching his face carefully. Maxwell seemed casual in his response, and she didn’t pick up and weird vibes. Apparently, his older brother, Duke Bertrand Beaumont, just slipped his mind. As Maxwell said, “As the eldest son, he’s the heir and I’m the spare.”

 

“You’ll see him tonight. He’ll be excited to meet you,” he promised, which made her frown. He wasn’t excited to see her already?

 

Thankfully Maxwell brought her to the end of a hall, which was unsurprisingly gorgeous with a big open window, a stunning crystal chandelier, and and gold embossed wooden door. “This is it, here’s your room!” Maxwell made some fancy hand movements in front of the comically large door, and she grinned.

 

They entered, and her jaw literally dropped. It was an insanely lavish in all white and gold with full-length paintings, fluffy pillows, a huge gold chandelier, and even gilded ceilings. She noticed those and looked at Maxwell with a cocked eyebrow. That was a little kinky, no?

 

“Wow…” she managed.

  
“As a royal guest, you’re spared no luxury,” he replied, pointing up to the ceiling with a wink.

 

“So… nothing’s stopping me from clearing out the mini bar?” she asked with a mischievous eyebrow wiggle.

 

“There’s no mini bar, but the staff here will get you anything you’d like.”

 

“Sweeeet!” she sang, doing a little dance with her shoulders as she let a little bubble of laughter escape. He laughed at her for a minute before motioning to the room grandly.  
  
“I’ll let you settle in before your big debut tonight.” Maxwell turned to leave. Had she missed something? What was going on tonight?  
  
“My _what?_ ”  
  
Maxwell turned around sheepishly. “I’m sorry, I keep forgetting that you’re not used to all this. The first event of the social season is tonight. The Masquerade.” He must have sensed she was about to launch into twenty questions because he continued smoothly. “It’s the ball where all the suitors will be presented to the prince, as well as to the king. Not everyone dressed in costume, but you can be sure that the ladies competing for Liam’s attention will be pulling out all of the stops….”  
  
Brianna noticed he had trailed off and was looking at her two worn looking suitcases and the oversized purse she had used as a carry on. She sighed a little. _Got it, we’ve got to shell out some cash to look the part._  
  
“I’m guessing it’s too much to ask if you’ve got a costume or fancy ballgown in there…”

 

“I packed _a_ dress,” she replied, emphasizing the pitiful quantity. This feeling of inadequacy was making her spine prickle in discomfort.

 

Maxwell broke out into a smile. “Well, I wasn’t sure, so I’ve made an appointment for you at the palace boutique. Maybe you’ll find something you like better there!” Brianna pulled her lower lip into her mouth and nibbled thoughtfully. The Beaumont house was covering half of her bills, which wasn’t a lot, but she did have a little bit of savings. Maybe she’d be able to swing something for tonight, but after that, how would she keep up?  
  
“I’ll check it out,” she promised.

 

“Remember, tonight is _very_ _important_. It’s your chance to make a first impression on all the influential people at court and to stand apart from everyone else.” _So much for all those inner beauty lies_ , she thought with snark. The thought rolled off quickly as she understood what he was saying and she smiled reassuringly at him. “Don’t worry. I’ve got this.”

 

* * *

 

  
Once she had wrapped her mind around the concept that the palace had a boutique (with staff and everything), she had to find the damned place. Maxwell gave her some vague instructions, and when Brianna finally found the room several minutes later, she was amazed and the beautiful pale pink wallpaper, gilded mirrors, and sprawling clothing racks. Maxwell mentioned something about the palace creating the boutique for the social season and renovating a previous guest room… it seemed so opulent to Brianna, but she supposed it just wasn’t a thought that came naturally to her.

 

After closing the door gently behind her, she crossed the rug toward a selection of ballgowns and nearly ran into a petite young woman in her underwear, holding a dress in front of her. Her skin was gorgeous and smooth, popping against the white lace bra. The woman was almost impossibly stunning with long, tumbling brown hair and big Bambi eyes that warmed instantly, despite her startled, “Oh!”

 

“Eep! Sorry, I didn’t realize someone was already here,” Brianna explained, angling herself away from the woman to give her some shred of privacy. Hadn’t Maxwell said he booked an appointment?

 

“No problem. To be honest, I didn’t have an appointment,” the woman smiled gently as Brianna turned toward her a little more. “I’m Hana. I suppose you’re also here to prepare for the masquerade tonight. Since you’re here and not already dressed, I must assume that you’re just like me… searching desperately for something to wear.”

Brianna chuckled easily, shrugging as her eyes scanned the numerous options for the evening. “More or less,” she admitted.

 

“The seamstress seems to be running late, but I can show you around. The boutique has the most exquisite gowns. Let me just slip my dress on…” Hana lifted the pink sequined dress up over her hips and adjusted it, reaching back to zip herself. She was impossibly petite and slender, and Brianna felt a little twinge of jealousy before pushing it aside.

 

Brianna bit back the urge to make a teasing remark, and instead moved to Hana’s back. “Need a hand?”

 

“That would be amazing,” she admitted, allowing Brianna to pull the zipper up while Hana grabbed her matching mask and slipped in on, turning around with an endearing grin.

 

“Thank you, Brianna. Not many girls here are like you.”

 

“What, helpful?” Brianna asked, her eyebrow raised quizzically.

 

“Nice,” she clarified, smiling from behind her pink and gold ornate mask. “Ah, this dress is perfect.” Hana caught her reflection and smoothed the dress over her hips. The material enveloped her curves in a flattering but tasteful way, and the colour was beautiful against Hana’s skin tone. With a childlike giggle, Hana spun in front of the mirror, her skirt flaring up.

 

“Now, what about you? One must have a mask for the masquerade! Have you seen the angel costume? You’d look amazing in white,” Hana gushed, “or there’s a red one, if you’re feeling more… devilish.”

 

“I’ll take a look,” Brianna murmered, moving to examine the options her new friend mentioned. The angel dress was a beautiful, draping white fabric that floated as she walked, but the red dress was even sexier with crisscrossing fabric designs and a black mask. Without much thought, she grabbed the angel costume and was preparing to pay for it when a little nagging feeling crept in to her mind. That was the costume that reflected the person she wanted to be, the person Hunter always pushed her to be… well groomed, mild, polite, kind, respectful. It wasn’t that she didn’t _want_ to be those things, but there was more to her. She was sarcastic, witty, challenging… perhaps even devilish? With a smirk, she returned the draping gown to the rack and settled on the sexy devil costume, handing over her credit card with only a twinge of regret.

 

It took her a few minutes to squeeze into the dress and situate her horns and mask just so. The neckline of the dress was deadly, and she pulled her hair up into a slightly messy updo to accentuate the assets. The dress accentuated her curves, and once she stepped out of the dressing room and asked the dreaded, “How do I look?” question, Hana’s face said everything.

 

“Hotter than fire, my dear,” Hana promised with a sparkle in her eye. The pair said their goodbyes as there was still an hour until the ball, and they both needed to do their hair and makeup for the official entrance into the social season.

 

* * *

 

 

Maxwell met her at the bottom of the grand, sweeping staircase. Brianna had never felt so gorgeous in this expensive gown, her hair smoothed down and off her neck, her makeup accentuating her bright blue eyes and glowing skin.

 

“Nice outfit. You look great,” he greeted her with a goofy thumbs up.  
  
“Thanks,” she replied with a grin, letting Maxwell guide her toward the wooden double doors of the grand ballroom.

 

“One other thing I should mention. As soon as you enter, you’ll tell the herald your name and title so that you can be announced.”

 

Brianna frowned slightly. “Maxwell? What is my title?”

 

He paused for a moment and shrugged dramatically. “You don’t really have one, but since my family is sponsoring you, then you could technically be considered a ‘lady’. Or we could go with your hometown. I guess I should have asked before. What’s your last name?”

 

“It’s Richardson.”

 

“Well, it’s not as classic a name as Catherine Elizabeth Middleton, but it’ll do…” he teased, adopting an exaggerated accent.

 

Before she had much of a chance to get nervous, the double doors opened slowly, and Maxwell guided her gently. She focused on keeping her face smooth and appreciative of her surroundings without succumbing to the sheer awe she felt in the room.

 

The floor was smooth and glossy, polished to perfection and she could even see the reflection of the crystal chandeliers that hung above, the intracity of their little lights and gold swirling designs breathtaking. A grand piano was positioned in the corner, and the impressive archways had a thick golden curtain blocking off the room. There were tables and nobles sprawled everywhere.

 

In the moment she felt so dizzy and overwhelmed, she hadn’t even noticed that Maxwell had been announced until the herald turned to her expectantly. Maxwell gave her a friendly nudge and Brianna nodded to the herald, offering a polite, albeit shaky, smile.  
  
“Please announce me as Lady Brianna Richardson,” she said, and Maxwell flashed her a smile in approval. It sounded the most fitting to her, and as the herald announced her officially and they moved into the ballroom together, she let out a soft breath. This was overwhelming, more so than she expected. Hunter’s little parties and his attempts to mold her were nothing compared to this environment.

  
“I’ve got to talk to Bertrand for a sec. You’ll be okay on your own right?” Maxwell began moving away, looking over his shoulder at her bewildered face. “Just mingle!” he offered before continuing on.

 

Brianna shot him an exaggerated smile. This environment was too intense for _mingling,_ or so she felt. She didn’t know anyone, and Maxwell knew that she was helpless. Still, he had essentially paid her way here and decided to sponsor her in this journey. She didn’t have to be so ungrateful. “Mingle! Right… I can do that,” she said to no one, as Maxwell had already moved into the crowd.

 

Thankfully she spotted Drake near the edge of the room, alone and watchful. He hadn’t even dressed up for the event, which made her smile wryly. Turning her head, a little more, trying not to look to obvious that she was searching for a friend, Brianna spotted Hana and a group of gorgeous ladies wearing dresses that were to die for. For the first time, she felt truly thankful to have spent the money on her fitted dress and she let her hands smooth over her hips. She stopped immediately, noting that the nervous movement could be mistaken or pointed out, and with a little sigh, she moved toward Drake. Being watched this entire evening would be exhausting, and she assumed he would cut her some slack. Plus, he was hot as hell and he intrigued her. As she approached, he gave her a very stiff bow, not quite meeting her eyes.  
  
“Good evening, my lady,” he spoke formally, and her eyes flashed behind the mask.  
  
“So, you _do_ have manners,” she shot back immediately. Drake’s face registered confusion as his brow furrowed, and she tried to stifle her laughter.  
  
“…Brianna? Is that you?”

 

“Yeah,” she snickered. “You didn’t recognize me?”

 

Drake cleared his throat, and she thought she could see the lightest flush on his cheeks. “I… I was caught off-guard. You clean up well.”

 

Her eyebrow arched in response. Drake had said the same thing about her outside of her waitressing uniform… last night. Wow, had it only been last night? It seemed like a lifetime ago already, with the glamour of today. Still, his comment made her curious. Did he simply appreciate the effort when she put it in to get ready and look good, or was it the only time he felt comfortable enough to compliment her? Either way, she was going to take it and run with it.

 

“Drake… was that actually a _compliment?_ ” she asked, taking on an affected incredulous tone.

 

“Uh, no!” he said hurriedly, moving on quickly. “Looking the part doesn’t mean you’re going to be welcome here, you know.” His words felt like a slap across her face. Brianna felt her words get caught in her throat. She was back in New York, fumbling to zip up a dress too small while Hunter pinched the fat around her waist roughly. No, that wasn’t a lesson she needed to learn again.

 

“Well, you’re charming as ever.”

 

Drake either didn’t notice her frosty tone, or he didn’t care.

“Hah. Compared to most of the nobles here, I’m your best friend.”

 

“Drake, I believe you,” she began, pausing to think for a moment. She really did believe him—these high society people were so quick to pull you in for a hug to get a better angle to stab you in the back. Cordonia or New York, it didn’t matter, people were the same.

 

“That’s the first smart thing you’ve said.”

 

“Thanks,” she replied quickly, her face falling as she took a look around the room. This wasn’t going as planned. Brianna hoped Drake would give her a break from the prestige of this event, but it was clear he couldn’t be that reprieve for her.

 

“Look,” he said, taking a little half step closer. She smelled his cologne, musky and fresh, like the forest after a good evening of rain. “I’m not trying to be a jerk. I’m just trying to help.”

 

“You have a very peculiar way of helping,” she replied, her eyes flashing angrily. He wouldn’t make a fool of her, especially not here where she already felt out of place.

 

Drake shrugged. “I’m just saying all the things that I wish someone would’ve told me a long time ago.” She met his eyes and there was a gentle warmth there, but he looked away quickly, jutting his chin to the other side of the room. “Anyway, if you’ll excuse me, I could use another glass of champagne.”

 

Brianna nodded, her fingers reaching to tuck an artfully loose strand of hair behind her ear.  
  
“Good luck, Brianna.”

 

She smiled softly at him, plucking a glass of champagne off a passing tray and walking over to where Hana and the ladies were gathered.

 

Hana greeted her warmly, and she had the sense that if they weren’t at an event with such prestige Hana would bring her into a hug.

 

“So, this is the masquerade! What do you think of it?” Hana asked, her smile bright and eyes sparkling.

 

“The masquerade is…” Brianna trailed off in thought. She had been prepared to gush, but Hana’s open face and eagerness made her feel comfortable. “A little overwhelming,” she finished, taking a sip of her drink.

 

“I know what you mean! I’ve been coming to these events since I was a little girl.”  
  
“So it never gets easier?” Brianna replied with a little frown.

 

Hana offered her a little smile that felt like a secret. “To be honest… It gets more complicated. At least as a child I could run around and have a little fun!”

 

The pair giggled. Brianna looked around the room, her smile growing. “Who says we can’t do that now?”

 

“Believe me,” Hana said conspiratorially as she leaned in and lowered her voice playfully, “it’d cause quite a scandal.”

 

A curvaceous woman in a skintight black bejeweled dress stepped in. “Ahem!” Her hair was thick, glossy, and bright red, flashing in the warm lighting, and she was concealed behind a purple feathered mask.  
  
“Pardon me, but I absolutely must steal her away,” she said, her voice thick and throaty in that effortlessly sexy way Brianna always yearned for. The woman grabbed Brianna’s arm and moved her easily to a corner of the room.

 

“Hey!” Brianna exclaimed, pulling her arm away and rubbing the tender flesh softly. This woman had some serious strength.

 

“Forgive me for being forward, but I’ve never seen _you_ here before. I always notice when the heralds announce a new name. I make it a _point_ to know all of the ladies at court. I’m Lady Olivia Vanderwall Nevrakis, Duchess of Lythikos. Lady Brianna Richardson… I can’t say I’m familiar with your house. It must be nouveau,” she spoke, her lips curved up in a knowing smirk. Brianna felt the feline power that Olivia exuded, like a predator playing with their prey.

 

Brianna’s mouth opened to speak, but Olivia cut her off. “Well, seeing as you’re the new girl at court, let me give you some advice. When you’re presented to the king, you should kiss his shoe when you curtsy to him.”

 

“Really?” Brianna asked, shocked that Olivia would think she was stupid enough to fall for such a stupid prank.

 

“It’s Cordonian custom to show deep respect and reverence for the monarchy.” _Not fucking likely_ , Brianna thought to herself. “You’re so lucky that I was here to warn you! Otherwise, you’d look completely ridiculous.”

 

Brianna forced a smile. “Thanks.”

 

Thankfully Maxwell moved to Brianna’s side smoothly, interrupting the lovely conversation she was currently engaged in. “Prince Liam is here!” he announced, nudging her gently. “Ready to see him again?”

 

She couldn’t hide her excitement. Brianna looked up, her eyes searching the crowded ballroom, and she spotted him, dressed in a pure black suit and a formal sash, his chest decorated with a gleaming pin. He was stunning. Liam’s blonder hair was swept up and to the side, his impeccably posture exuding confidence. Liam caught her gaze and smiled at her, but Brianna realized he likely couldn’t recognize her behind the mask and in the extravagant outfit.

 

“Do you think he’ll be glad to see me?” she asked softly.

 

“Only one way to find out… go talk to him,” Maxwell pressed a hand to the small of her back gently, pushing her toward him.

 

Brianna felt butterflies in her stomach—cliché, but true—as she took a shaky step toward him. This was it, he’d either welcome her into the competition or she’d get the slap of rejection knowing that he was a master in charisma, and all the story behind their New York experience was just talk.

  
No time like the present to find out.

* * *

* * *

 


	3. Chapter Three: A Royal Reunion, Snarky Socialites, and a Lonely Lady

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brianna is reunited with Prince Liam for a brief moment before learning just how unprepared she is for the social season.

* * *

* * *

 

Brianna’s heels clicked across the floor, the sound echoing in her mind, as she made her way to Prince Liam standing next to who could only be his father, the king. She concentrated on getting across the obscenely polished floor, breathing slowly.

  
_“_ I guess this is it… I’m going to talk to him again…” Brianna spoke softly to Maxwell, her normally loud voice lowered as she kept a fake smile on her face. He guided her gently tapping his fingers against the small of her back where his hand rested. It was oddly reassuring. “Take my champagne,” she said urgently, realizing the empty glass was still in her hands. Maxwell plucked it out of her fingers and placed it on a passing waiter’s tray smoothly. She wanted to smack her forehead in embarrassment, but this event was adding so much pressure that she wasn’t thinking clearly.

  
“Great. Looks like they’re ready for you,” Maxwell said. He slowed down until they stopped walking. “Now, I’m going to present you to King Constantine first. You’ll want to make a good first impression on him so he’ll consider you a worthy match for his son. Then you’ll get your big chance to talk to Liam.”

 

Brianna nodded slightly, feeling the hairs of her updo tickling her bare back and sending a little shiver down her spine. “Okay, I’ve got it.” He didn’t seem to notice that she had even responded, but in fairness to Maxwell he seemed fairly nervous himself. They moved toward the kind, who was seated in a raised dais, in a red velvet chair adorned with gold.

 

“Your Royal Highness, may I present Lady Brianna Richardson?”

 

“Of course,” the king said. He was still and observant in his plush throne. There was an expectant look in his eyes, and she felt like she was being watched and judged for ever slight movement she made.

 

Brianna stepped forward gently into a low curtsy, the fake advice from Olivia flashing in her mind, and she hid a grin at the thought of kissing this man’s shoe. Not that she was usually a vengeful type, but getting revenge on the redheaded woman seemed enticing.

 

“Your Highness,” she murmured, returning to her full height (not that five foot four was particularly impressive, but in her heels she felt powerful) and keeping a polite smile on her lips. It wasn’t that different from serving, she noted, being polite and keeping her lips turned up.

 

“It’s a pleasure to meet the suitor Lord Maxwell’s house has chosen. I hope you enjoy your time in Cordonia,” the king said. He was smiling, and it seemed genuine to her. It made her swell with pride at the thought that she might have impressed him slightly, or at least avoided making a fool of herself. The pressure released from her shoulders and she let out a little breath she didn’t even realize she had been holding.

 

“Thank you.” she responded. Before there was an awkward silence, Maxwell escorted her to join the line of ladies waiting to see the prince. It was almost comical, this line to see Liam, but she had other things on her mind.  
  
“ _Lord_ Maxwell, huh?” she said. Brianna’s tone was light and teasing, but she was feeling a little intimidated.

 

“That’s my title. You could refer to me as ‘His Lordship’ from now on if you really want.” Maxwell nudged her gently, his grin lighting up his entire face and making his hazel eyes shine.

 

Brianna chuckled. “Eh, I like you better as a Maxwell.”

 

“Now, look sharp,” he said, his tone growing serious. She swallowed nervously, peeking around the woman in front of her to catch a glimpse of Liam.

 

“Here’s your big moment! Don’t blow it,” Maxwell said.

.

 

Brianna turned her face to his, winking at him. “I won’t.”

 

Maxwell stepped smoothly aside, and she took a deep breath in and stepped toward the prince.

 

Liam’s face was tactically smooth, and his tone was formal and polite as he greeted her. “Hello. You’ll have to forgive me, but I don’t think we’ve met…” he trailed off expectantly.

 

“Oh? And how _does_ a prince greet a beautiful mystery woman?”

 

His face brightened. “With a kiss on the hand, I hope?”  She obliged and held her hand out, her freshly painted nude nails shining in the warm lighting. He took her hand, his skin soft and warm, and brought it to his lips. It was such a sweet gesture, and although her rational mind reminded her that this wasn’t an intimate moment, it felt so deliciously rich.

  
“Now, I believe I know every other lady here, so your presence is baffling me. I can’t stop my mind from racing. Is she a high-ranking aristocrat from a distant country? Or a wealthy woman of the world?” He broke off into a small chuckle and soon Brianna’s tinkling laughter joined his.

 

“So who are you? What brings you here?” the prince pressed her again.

 

Brianna eyed him carefully, her smile guarded. “You brought me. I think all the women here tonight are here for you.” Her head moved slightly to indicate the crowded ballroom, and Liam nodded in agreement, though she could see his theories turning over in his mind.

 

“In a manner of speaking, but no one’s surprised me yet like this.”

 

“You’ll be even more surprised when you figure out the truth,” she teased.

 

“And what is that?” Liam’s politeness made her wonder if she could ruffle his feathers. She wasn’t quite ready to give in to his inquiring mind yet.

 

“No guesses yet?” she purred, running her fingers down her neck as if to scratch an itch. Liam’s eyes followed her fingers, and he licked his lower lip ever so slightly, moving his eyes to study her face. After a moment, his eyes widened and he chuckled to himself, shaking his head.

 

“Brianna. I thought I’d never see you again.”

 

“So… this is a good surprise, I hope?” she said softly, trying to keep the insecurities out of her voice. It was impossible to do that though as she couldn’t imagine her place being with a prince. After all, she was a waitress from New York and even Hunter couldn’t polish her to a gem that he could be proud of. _Oof._ Those self-doubt thoughts popped out of nowhere.

 

“The best.” Liam’s grin was genuine, and she wanted to close the distance and kiss his full lips in giddy happiness. “But how did you get here?” he asked, his face falling. She realized he didn’t understand she was here for him.

 

Brianna motioned her head toward Maxwell slightly and Liam followed her motion, nodding to himself as she exclaimed. “Maxwell and his brother are sponsoring me. He brought me here to join the other suitors.”

 

The look of pleasant shock that crossed the prince’s face was unexpected but welcome. “Really?” he exclaimed. “That’s amazing! I can’t believe you came all this way for me.”

 

“Liam, do you have any advice for me?”

 

“Don’t let the other ladies intimidate you,” he replied easily. “Most of them are actually very nice, but they can be…” Liam trailed off, searching for the diplomatic word.

 

“Competitive?” she supplied with a curious tilt of her head and a smirk.

 

“Exactly. But you can’t really blame them. That’s the whole reason for this, after all. The entire series of events is set up not just to give me time with my potential matches, but also to give my parents, the council, and the people of Cordonia time to get to know the future queen. From now on, everyone will be watching you.”

 

Fear overcame her and froze her limbs as adrenaline slammed her heart, making it stumble and then beat frantically. Always being watched? This was going to be her chance to face her past head on, but would it even be worth it? There was something fun between her and Liam, but Brianna was unsure that it was anything more than a flirtation. Didn’t she owe Maxwell, for sticking his neck out for her, to at least give this relationship a chance?

 

“That sounds scary,” she said finally.

 

“I’m sorry I can’t make it easier for you, but for what it’s worth you definitely look the part.”

 

Brianna returned his smile. “Thanks.”

 

“I’m sure you’ll charm them as you’ve charmed me. Unfortunately, the receiving line isn’t the best place to talk. We only have a few more minutes before the next lady arrives…”

 

 _Here’s your hat, what’s your hurry?_ Brianna pushed those sour words from her mind. She knew that this would be a competition from the beginning, and it wasn’t fair to punish Liam for it.

 

“In that case, I want to know what you think of all this,” she said, motioning to the ballroom.

 

Liam nodded, seeming to understand her motives behind the question. “I know it seems a little silly… but it _is_ tradition. And I know how important it is to Cordonia that we find the right queen.”

 

The next noble lady stepped behind them, and Brianna looked to the prince for guidance.

 

“Sorry, our time’s up,” he said, and she could see his slight frown. It pleased her slightly to know he was regretful that their time was nearly over… or, at least, he pretended to be.

 

“I understand,” she replied quickly. “We really _aren’t_ in New York anymore, are we?”

 

“No.” Liam chuckled good-naturedly. “I hope I’ll see you again later tonight, if you’ll save a dance for me.”

 

Brianna nodded before Maxwell joined her, leading her away from the prince. He was practically bouncing as they walked away, and as soon as they were out of earshot, he leaned in.

 

“Liam looked _really_ happy to see you,” he squealed, squeezing her arm happily.

 

His good attitude was nearly infectious, but she kept her expectations realistic, and this wasn’t the time to get all giddy for what could have simply been Liam’s good manners. “Yeah, but is that going to be enough? I also have to impress the royal court and the people of Cordonia…” she trailed off, but Maxwell was quick to respond.

 

“Don’t worry,” he said with a little wave of his free hand. “You’ll have plenty of time for that. And my brother, Bertrand, and I will be there to help you every step of the way. Remember, we want to see you win this thing.”

 

“Right.” Win this thing. Like it was some sick TV show for people’s entertainment. This whole situation was just weird, and though she expected it, it was unnerving her more than she had thought it would.

 

“For now, it’d be a good start to get to know the other courtly ladies,” he advised, pointing to a group of ladies. Brianna put her hand on his arm, lowering the obvious gesture with a snort of laughter. “Bertrand and I are helpful, but the more people you can get on your side, the better.”

 

“I’m on it,” she said. Brianna moved toward the group as Maxwell let their looped arms fall. He looked so much like a proud father sending his child off for the first day of school. Over these upcoming weeks, she wanted to get more of his story, and she wondered if his personality was genuine as effervescent as it seemed, or if it was a wall he put up. She offered a little wave in parting and followed the group of ladies as they moved outside. The air was crisp but not too cold, and she felt a little refreshed getting out of the heat from the grand ballroom.

 

Olivia, the vicious redhead, was standing next to Hana and a few others at a table display with curving designs made of champagne flutes. The drinks were flanked by fruity cocktails and expensive looking glassware held hard liquors on a bottom layer to the table. The entire thing was too extravagant for her tastes, but she couldn’t resist plucking a glass of champagne from the top.

  
“Brianna, you were awfully familiar with the prince,” Olivia exclaimed, not even bothering to hide her disgust. “You didn’t say that you knew him.”

 

Brianna took a sip of her champagne. This woman’s sharp tone didn’t set well with her.

 

“Olivia, can we go back to how you lied to me about kissing the king’s shoe?” Her tone was light, and she kept a hint of a joke in there, but her expression was serious as she watched Olivia’s deep green eyes flash in laughter.

 

“That was hilarious, wasn’t it?” Despite Olivia’s laughter, her words were hollow. “Come now, you can’t begrudge me for a little prank. You _are_ the new girl, after all.”

  
“Well, hazing’s over,” Brianna said sharply.

 

“It’s over when I say it’s over.”

 

The tension crackled in the air while Brianna sipped from her glass again.  
  
“Listen,” Olivia began, her voice hard. “You should know that whatever happened between you and Liam, you don’t really have a chance with him.” Her expression softened as she admired her long, polished red nails. “You might’ve been able to capture his attention when it was just the two of you, but you can’t keep up with the ladies here.”

 

Brianna watched this woman intently, a sour taste in her mouth that the champagne couldn’t chase. Olivia was just like those New York bitches that Hunter always pushed her toward, hoping they would mold her with their sharp nails and biting tongues. She had succumbed to his wishes then, allowing herself to change into a bitter, vengeful socialite, but she wouldn’t let that happen again.

 

Olivia was oblivious, or uncaring, toward Brianna’s frown.

  
“We’re from the finest families in Europe, and we’ve been training and preparing our whole lives to marry a prince. You can’t just waltz in here at the last minute and steal him from us. Kiara here is the daughter of a diplomat and is fluent in ten languages…”

 

Kiara, an impossibly tall and slender woman in an intricate lace dress, announced that the prince would fall in love with her—in French. Olivia smiled at her, as if she were a dog performing a trick, and motioned to another woman.  
  
“Penelope can track her lineage back through six hundred years of royalty.”  
  
Penelope was a kind looking woman with creamy skin and stunningly good looks. She smiled sweetly at Brianna despite Olivia’s intimidation techniques.  
  
“It’s an honour to represent my people here,” Penelope said.

 

With a shrug, Olivia rolled her eyes toward Hana. “Even Hana’s been training to learn the courtly grades of conversation and seduction.”

 

Hana flushed, obvious even behind her mask, and looked staggered. “Uh, thanks?”

 

With a little giggle, Penelope bounced to the balls of her feet, admirable considering her deadly heels. “But if anyone’s got the inside track with Prince Liam, it’s you, Olivia. You’ve known him his entire life.”

 

Olivia grinned blissfully. “It’s true,” she said. Her voice was dreamy, and she made sure to stare directly at Brianna. “We grew up at the palace together as childhood friends. Before his older brother abdicated, it was just assumed Liam and I would be married one day. I’ve got no intention of losing him to one of you harpies.”

 

Brianna chuckled, breaking Olivia’s intense gaze to catch Hana’s eye. They exchanged a knowing look.

 

“No offence,” Olivia laughed sharply after a pause that was too long. It looked like she was about to turn and leave, no doubt used to getting the last word, but Brianna cleared her throat.

 

“Wait a second, I can’t believe the rest of you let Olivia talk like this,” Brianna said, her eyes running over the group. It didn’t make sense to her. When she let herself be pushed around before, she was young, insecure, and desperate to please an emotionally abusive boyfriend. These women didn’t seem like they had to contend with any of those issues.

 

Penelope looked around the group and shrugged. “She’s only stating the facts. There’s no point in being emotional about it.”

 

“We all knew what we were getting ourselves into when we came here, Brianna. Didn’t you?” Kiara asked, not unkindly, but with an arched brow and crossed arms.

 

 “Don’t worry ladies. I’m sure little Brianna will learn her place here, eventually. Or else I’ll make her life a living hell.” Olivia’s eyes stayed fixed on Brianna. It was an intimidation tactic, no doubt, and it was working. Brianna’s hands twitched, wanting to smooth down her dress again, but she distracted herself by fiddling with the champagne glass. She took a deep breath and pushed it through her nose, her face scrunching in unavoidable anger.

 

“And what, exactly, do you think my _place_ is here?” she asked, raising her free hand to quote around ‘place’.

 

“Oh, somewhere below Penelope and Kiara, but you know what?” Olivia cocked her head playfully. “Probably above Hana. Though I’m surprised Hana’s here at all after what I heard about her last attempt at an engagement.”

 

“Olivia!” Hana’s surprise was thick in her voice, and she had even raised a hand to her chest.

  
Olivia clicked her tongue dismissively, her grin seeming to grow wider at Hana’s emotional discomfort. “Well, we all know that you family will throw you at any available bachelor as long as it means you can climb another rung on the social ladder. But, honestly, it’s a bit a much to expect that Prince Liam is going to accept… _damaged goods_.”

 

Brianna saw Hana’s face grow pink with embarrassment, then red with anger. Though she wanted to step in to defend Hana, she wasn’t sure if that was something that would be appreciated or frowned on. She relaxed her hands after realizing that her nails were digging into her palm.

  
“I… I need to…” Hana exhaled shakily, stepping through the group. “Excuse me.”

 

As Hana stepped away, Brianna followed her for a few steps and put her hand on Hana’s shoulder. “Hana, wait… you don’t have to listen to them.”

 

“Thanks,” she smiled weakly, “but… what she’s saying… it’s… I’m sorry, Brianna.” Hana shook her head and walked through the doors of the palace. Brianna sighed, turning to Olivia and the group. Of course, they were all listening, and Olivia was shaking her head sadly.

 

“Girls like her shouldn’t bother being here if they can’t handle the truth.”

 

Brianna finished her champagne and set it down, steeling herself in front of Olivia. With a frown, she shook her head and sighed.  
  
“Olivia, you’re acting like a child, not a queen. If this is how you behave, I wouldn’t trust you with childproof scissors, let alone a kingdom.”

 

Olivia’s jaw dropped. “I… you can’t…”

 

“I just did,” Brianna cut her off. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going after Hana.”

  
Without staying to see how the girls reacted, not that she much cared, she did a little jog in her heels and found Hana walking swiftly down a hall off the main entrance. Outside the room, Brianna gave a little knock and stepped in to see Hana crumpled on the foot of the bed, tears running down her face.

 

“Brianna, what are you doing here?” she asked in disbelief, sniffling sadly.

 

“I wanted to make sure you’re okay,” Brianna said, moving to sit beside Hana on the bed.

 

“That’s… That’s so kind of you.” Hana’s smile was sweet and genuine. “Thank you.”

 

Brianna reached out and patted Hana’s back hesitantly. “It was the least I could do.”

 

Hana nodded. “I know I shouldn’t let Olivia bother me,” she said, untying her mask and dabbing at her eyes. She looked up sadly and frowned. “You probably think I’m making a fool of myself.”

 

“I think you’re being human. I… I’ve been in that spot before, I know it’s not fun. It’s hard to not listen to people like that, even though your head tells you not to.” Brianna stopped rubbing Hana’s back and grabbed the pink mask on her lap, rubbing her thumb over the jewels thoughtfully. “I mean, you’d have to be a robot to not let Olivia get under your skin when she talks to you like that.”

 

“Heh. I guess you’re right,” Hana gave a soft little laugh. “The real problem is…” she took a deep breath, her face clouding, “Olivia is right. Last year, my parents arranged a very advantageous match for me, but only a few weeks before the wedding, the groom pulled out of the arrangement. It was handled quietly, but it was still regarded as rather scandalous. Since then, my parents have been desperate for me to find another match.”  
  
That was rough. Brianna couldn’t imagine how it would feel to be in Hana’s spot, under the intense scrutiny of other nobles. This competition… it was likely a desperate attempt on Hana’s family’s part. Brianna bit her lower lip thoughtfully. It must have taken a lot for Hana to open up like this, and Brianna wished she could tell Hana how much she struggled with those similar emotions, but now wasn’t the time.

 

Hana wiped another tear from her cheek as she took a shaky breath. “They’ve all but thrown me into this competition. I thought Cordonia was far away enough that I could escape my past… but it looks like the rumours have followed me here.”

 

The defeated posture, those hopeless words, the sad tone… it was too much for Brianna, too close to home. She stood up and reached out, pulling Hana up with her.  
  
“Hana…” she began, her arms on Hana’s shoulders as she squeezed. “A broken engagement is nothing to be ashamed of.”

 

“It’s not?”

 

“In the real world, stuff like that happens all the time. Sometimes… sometimes things just don’t work out. It doesn’t mean anything’s wrong with you,” Brianna promised, her voice rough. “At the heart of it, I think we both know why Olivia singled you out.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Olivia bullies you because she senses weakness. The only thing we can do about that is to toughen you up,” she said, squeezing Hana’s shoulders again before letting her hands drop.

 

“Toughen me up?” Hana’s voice sounded so incredulous it made Brianna smile.

  
“Yeah! The next time Olivia picks on you, say something snappy right back at her!”

 

There was a beat of silence, and Hana looked down. “I don’t think I could that,” she mumbled.

 

“Not even if you’re standing up for yourself?”

 

“It’s just not my way of doing things.”

 

Brianna nodded slowly, her fingers tapping her lips in thought. “Well,” she began measuredly, “at the very least, maybe you can try not to let her see that she’s getting to you.”

“Like having a poker face?” Hana asked, and when Brianna nodded, a weight seemed to slide off her shoulders. “I can try that.”

 

“Well, Brianna, I see that I’ve found myself in your debt already.”

 

“It’s not a big deal.” This social scene must be rough to think that being kind to another woman was something out of the ordinary.

 

“On the contrary, your words have spoken volumes about your character. I won’t forget this…” Hana wiped the lingering tears from her face, and gave Brianna a wobbly smile. “I must look a mess.”

 

“Nothing a quick touch-up won’t fix!” Brianna said confidently, spinning Hana to the mirror. She watched as Hana dabbed at her eyes some more and powdered her face, swiping some mascara on and scrutinizing her finalized look.

 

“There, much better,” Hana said with a smile, spritzing a dash of perfume on her neck.  
  
Brianna grinned. “Ready to go back?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Brianna made her way back to the ballroom with guidance from Hana, and as soon as they reached the room, the opening strains of a waltz began. The ladies parted and she noticed Maxwell running—well, very speedily walking—up to her.

 

“Brianna! There you are! The last dance is starting up, and I think you and Liam deserve this one.”

 

She turned to where Maxwell’s gaze fell. Liam was talking with Penelope, and Brianna could just barely hear their conversation. Penelope was gushing over Liam, “…and of course, _you’re_ looking dashing tonight…” and Brianna rolled her eyes at Maxwell.  
  
Maxwell returned her sass with a smile and a little nudge. “It might be a little rude to cut in, but—”

 

“Say no more. I know what to do,” Brianna’s eyes flashed under her mask and Maxwell laughed.

 

Though the whole competition aspect of this journey was off-putting at best, Brianna had never been one to back down. Hadn’t she told Liam that her goal was to live every day like it was an adventure? She rolled her shoulder back and adjusted her devil horns.

 

Hit it.

 

* * *

* * *

 


	4. Chapter Four: Meet Me in the Maze at Midnight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam offers a very intense game of tag and Brianna meets the Beaumont Duke.
> 
> **NSFW: Language**

* * *

* * *

 

“And that’s how my family acquired its fifth golden poodle statue!”  
  
Penelope’s girlish voice was filled with excitement as Brianna neared the couple. Prince Liam was listening intently, or she suspected he was at least pretending to, and it made her admire his careful attitude. He was so well groomed and poised, she had to question how she didn’t pay more attention to those things when they first met.

 

Liam laughed in response to Penelope’s story. “I can relate. Don’t get me started on the queen’s antique goblet collection…” he trailed off as if the story would be too much for the masquerade and Brianna took this as her chance to cut in.

 

With a little clearing of her throat, she smiled at the pair. “Excuse me, may I cut in?”

 

“If you must…” Penelope said sadly, her face clouding with disappointment.

 

“I must,” Brianna replied, stupid for insisting until she caught Liam’s eye. He was beaming at her, and it emboldened her. Penelope shrugged and plucked two champagne glasses off a passing tray before making her way across the room. Brianna gave a little snort of laughter and the prince turned to her.

 

“You handled that very well,” Liam told her with an encouraging smile.

 

“I try.”

 

“You do more than that. Honestly, you seem as comfortable here as you did back in New York.”

 

That was news to her. She felt so out of her depth here, but she guessed that the years of being subjected to Hunter’s endless parade of social events had prepared her for looking confident when she was feeling insecure and out of place. Brianna wondered if Drake ever felt the same way… it seemed like he was always on the outside looking in, but she hadn’t really seen him in a situation where his confidence had a chance to shine through. _Not that you even know Drake_.

 

“Shall we dance?” she asked, moving her thoughts about Drake to the side to overanalyze later. With a gentle guidance, Liam took her hand and led her to the dance floor just in time for the orchestra to strike up a dreamy waltz.

 

“I don’t…” she looked behind her nervously, the to the orchestra, then to Liam. She was about to make a total ass of herself. “I’m not sure I know the steps.”

 

“Just follow my lead,” Liam assured with a confident grin as he swept her on to the floor. His arms were strong and he held her arms up, guiding her into each move with ease. Luckily, Brianna’s childhood ballet lessons were paying off beautifully as she was able to follow his lead without stumbling.

 

“You’re an amazing dancer,” she said after a moment, letting him twirl her across the floor. Her smile was genuine and dazzling as she returned to his arms, feeling safe.

 

“My parents would be thrilled to hear that all those years of dance lessons paid off.”  
  
Brianna tilted her chin up to him. “I took dance lessons too. What were you in?”

 

Liam watched her carefully, a little mischievous grin playing on his lips. “Ballet. You?”

 

“Same.” She broke out into a smile at the thought of a little Liam at the barre, pointing his toes as he stretched in a leotard.

 

 They both chuckled lightly at the shared memory and he pulled her slightly closer, focusing on some fancy footwork. Brianna followed, light on her feet, and inhaled slowly. What a magical moment to share.

 

“I’m very glad that I got a moment alone with you, Brianna.” Liam’s voice was lower, and he had to lean in closer to her ear. When she moved backward in the dance and caught his face, he was serious, but his eyes were warm.

 

“Well… relatively alone,” she clarified, looking out at the dance floor and the guests mingling at the tables. “There’s only about a hundred people watching us right now.”

 

“Unfortunately, it’s about as much privacy as we might expect… though I do have trick up my sleeve.” Brianna cocked her head, but instead of responding, he only grinned. They continued dancing, but she noticed he was edging them toward the corner of the dance floor. He held his arm out and she did an obedient turn, and when he welcomed her back to their dance position, he scooted them out a set of French doors and to an unoccupied balcony. It overlooked the hedge maze, and she could see the fountain at the heart, sparkling under the moonlight.

 

“We can get a little more privacy out here at least,” he said softly, turning to face the view but keeping her hand in his.  
  
“Nice moves.” Brianna squeezed his hand a little and shot him a sassy smile. The night air was refreshing cool compared to the heat of the ballroom.

 

“I try.” He moved to face her, letting her hand go, and he studied her face for a minute… it made Brianna flush with embarrassment under his unabashed gaze. “Now, I want to know how you are. I trust you’re being well taken care of here?”

 

She blinked and frowned thoughtfully. Liam was so considerate to even ask about that, and she wondered if it was because of her comment earlier in the evening, where she had asked him how he handled this whole concept of the social season. The most neutral answer was to tell him she was good, and the hospitality had been nothing short of exceptional.

 

“Maxwell’s been very sweet so far. He flew me out here and set me up with a room and everything. I haven’t met his brother yet.”

 

Liam’s face changed a little. “Ah, the Duke… He’s… different from Maxwell. More serious.” He must have seen the beginnings of a frown on Brianna’s face, because he was quick to clarify. “But their house has an excellent reputation, mostly due to him.”

 

What was she supposed to say to that? He made the Duke sound stuffy and awful, but prestigious and admired.

  
“I see…” she said, deciding to save her judgement for later when she was properly introduced.

 

“What do you think about Cordonia? What do you think of my home so far?”

 

Brianna smiled up at him. His tone was cool, but she could tell there was a little hope there. Part of her wanted to tease him a little, but she really was enjoying her time here so far.

“It’s nice, but I do miss New York,” she admitted, her eyes flicking away from his. “I didn’t think I’d be homesick, but I even miss my crappy apartment.” It wasn’t an overwhelming feeling of lonely, but she did think that all these changes of such a heavy magnitude where taking a toll on her.

 

“I’m sorry to have taken you away from your home,” Liam frowned. “I hope you’ll give Cordonia a chance to win you over. It’s… well, it matters for whoever is Cordonia’s next queen.”

 

“Oh, right…” She was such an idiot. Why would she say to him that she missed her home when she was here to compete for the crown? “I guess that’s a pretty important quality in a queen-to-be.”

 

He nodded in agreement. “Especially given Cordonia’s recent history…”

 

Brianna let a beat or two go by, but when he didn’t clarify, she pressed him a little. “What do you mean?”

 

“These last few decades have been somewhat rocky for us… the first queen abandoned my father and my older half-brother. I’m not clear on the exact details, but…”

 

“Do you know why she left at least?” she asked, reaching out for his hand again. He let her take it, and she rubbed her thumb across the top of his hand soothingly.

“She couldn’t handle the pressures of courtly life. She came from a lesser noble family, so she hadn’t been long at court before the marriage.” Liam sounded sad, but sort of detached in a professional way. It was stirring up memories for Brianna, and she swallowed against the lump in her throat.

 

* * *

* * *

 

 

_Brianna smoothed down the silk dress, plucking at the fabric as it tried to settle against the curve of her hips. She was feeling so exposed in the thin material, and Hunter had told her to lose at least ten more pounds. This event was crucial for him, and she didn’t want to disappoint him._

_When he walked in the room, she saw his appraising eyes rake over her outfit carefully and his hands were grabbing at her._

_“These are fucking hideous,” he said, flicking her dangling gold earrings._  


_“_ _Higher,” he scoffed, nudging her heels with his foot._

_  
He circled her, like he was appraising a car, and he smacked her ass roughly. “More squats next time. You can’t wear silk with a drooping ass.”_

_Finally he faced her again, his arms crossed and his face dismissive._  
  
“You can’t embarrass me at this dinner like you always do. You just made into the social scene here, and I’ve worked my ass off to get you where you are. You hear that?” He reached out to stroke her cheek and chuckled dryly when she flinched slightly. Hunter’s touch was soft and tender. She tensed.

_“You hear that baby girl?” She nodded, and the warmth of his fingers on her face lifted. “Good girl. You’re not a quitter. And with my help, you’re not a loser.”_

_The worst part was that he was right about all of it. She had barely entered high society, really, she had only started climbing the ladder, and she thought about moving out of New York and leaving at least once a day. Brianna knew she wasn’t good enough for it, but she hoped Hunter could polish her with his constant pressure. Being the reigning queen of New York wasn’t a dream of hers, but if it was what he wanted from her, she had to oblige._

* * *

* * *

 

Brianna blinked against the tears in her eyes, and she refocused on Liam. He was lost in thought, but he cleared his throat gently. “And my own mother passed away when I was still a child…”

 

“You lost your mother? I’m so sorry.” Her voice was thick and it sounded faraway even in her own ears.  
  
“It was a long time ago.”

 

“I lost my father six years ago,” she said softly.

 

Liam sighed. “I’m so sorry to hear that, Brianna.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

They shared a moment of silence, and Brianna gave his hand a gentle squeeze. He returned it, and the warmth of his touch was steadying to her.

 

“And so, the current queen…?”

 

“She may not be my mother, but she is a wonderful woman who’s done her best to lead Cordonia alongside my father. Instability in the monarchy is always dangerous for a small kingdom like ours.” Liam’s thumb started tracing patterns on the back of her hand. “Weakened currency, a rise in crime, a drop in tourism… all because of the lives of the rulers.”

 

Brianna clicked her tongue thoughtfully. Things were starting to come together now. “So that’s why you care so much about finding the right queen.”

 

“Exactly. I can’t just follow my heart… as much as I might want to,” he said deliberately, his eyes catching hers. His gaze was intense, but he looked away after a few seconds. “There’s too many other people I need to think about… sorry, I didn’t mean to burden you with this.”

 

“Liam, you can tell me anything. I’m here for you.” He smiled gently at her and she returned it. “You’ve got a lot resting on your shoulders.”

 

“True, but I can at least take a moment to sprinkle in tales of my misspent youth…” Liam trailed off teasingly, his face brightening.

 

“I wouldn’t mind hearing those either,” Brianna laughed easily, dropping his hand and settling against the railing of the balcony. Liam followed her lead and leaned with her, thinking of a story to share.

  
“One summer, when I was only eight, my father decided to throw me into the rigors of governing. He made me sit through hours of meetings for three weeks straight. Finally, I couldn’t take another minute. I decided to liberate myself—”

 

“Wait, _you_ played hooky?” Brianna cut him off, her eyebrows raised in surprise. He laughed in response, nodding.

 

“Yeah. Drake and I stole a monster supply of chocolate from the kitchen, and we hid out in the garden. We spent the evening making up games to play in the garden maze. Our best one was maze-tag.”

 

She couldn’t help grinning at the thought of a young Drake and Liam running around the maze and shirking off Liam’s responsibilities.

 

Liam pointed to the hedge maze, and she followed his gaze as he spoke. “You can see the entrance to the maze over there, by the hedges…”

 

“So, ‘maze-tag’? Let me guess. You played tag in the maze?”

 

“You’ve got it. Not our most cleverly named game, but whoever was ‘it’ had to run after the other person in the maze. You lost if you were ‘it’ by the time the other person got to the center. We played that for hours, until we nearly collapsed from exhaustion, but we were too stubborn to go back. We used the last of our strength to climb up the tree in the center of the hedge maze and vowed to live out there.” Liam smiled to himself at the memory, and Brianna realized she was leaning toward him, endeared by the story.

 

“We fell asleep in that tree, and I only woke up when I fell off the branch and landed flat on my back, swearing up a storm. I hope this doesn’t destroy your image of me as a proper prince,” he chuckled.  
  
“What surprised me most is that Drake knows how to have fun,” she said jokingly, but the words came out a little harsher than she intended.

 

Liam’s mouth popped open in surprise, and she immediately regretted her words.  
  
“Drake’s the best,” he promised, and she frowned thoughtfully.  
  
“That hasn’t been my experience, but I bet he just needs to warm up to me,” she explained lamely. Liam nodded in agreement.

  
“I know he can be a little rough around the edges, but you’ll never find a more loyal friend.”

 

Brianna didn’t want to dwell on Drake during the limited time she had with the prince, so she took a little step closer and titled her chin up, smiling.  
  
“Well, I want to meet the Liam who plays hooky and sleeps in trees…”

 

“I miss those carefree summers, but I’m afraid those days are behind me,” Liam said sadly.

 

They stayed like that for another minute before he put his hand on her waist and held the other out for her to resume the waltz. “Ready?”

 

Brianna nodded, and she moved her hand to his and rested the other on his shoulder. As an afterthought, she straightened her posture and forced a little smile for their re-entrance to the ballroom. The prince guided them in expertly, and the warmth of the room hit her cheeks immediately. After a few counts, Liam pulled her closer and they swayed together, the music gently winding down.

 

“This song is coming to an end, and the masquerade with it. We’ll have to say good night soon,” he said neutrally, and she tried to search for any other hidden meaning in his words. This was so hard to navigate, this social season. Was he being polite and feeding this line in the same way to all the women? Was she special? Was she delusional for even thinking that?

 

“Is this how it’s going to be for the next few months? Stealing a couple minutes here and there?” Brianna tried not to sound too annoyed, but she couldn’t help the way her brows knitted together in disappointment.  
  
Liam exhaled slowly. “As I said, things are different here… I should spend some time with the other girls to be fair to them, but believe me when I say I wish this night didn’t have to end.”

 

“Who says it has to?” Her heart picked up a little as the words tumbled out, but she wanted to call his bluff. If he really didn’t want the night to end, she knew the perfect way to spend more time together and see the playful side of the prince.

 

“Uh-oh,” he said, though his smile was growing by the second as he saw her expression. “The last time you got that gleam in your eye, we ended up on a boat to the Statue of Liberty.”

 

“Do you regret it?”

 

“Never. What are you proposing?”

 

“Would you like to meet me at the garden maze?” she asked quietly, keeping her voice down as they swayed ever so gently to the dwindling music.

 

“Yes… but my bodyguards would never allow me to go out there alone.”

 

“You wouldn’t be alone. I’ll be there,” Brianna teased, moving her hand slightly as he held his arm out for her to twirl under.

  
“They’d probably like that even less,” he replied as she spun slowly under his outstretched arm. She caught his eye as the song concluded, and his smile told her everything. “We shouldn’t…”

 

“Then why are you smiling?”

 

“Because we both know how much I _want_ to.”

 

“In that case, I’ll be out there in twenty minutes,” she whispered as she moved her head closer to his for a moment. “I hope I won’t be alone.”

 

“Brianna…”

 

“Yes?” Her smile was bordering on cocky. The waltz music concluded, and the ballroom exploded in applause. She moved to walk away, but he tugged her close, leading her into a spin. His head bent down to hers, and his lips hovered near her ear.

 

“I’ll see you in twenty.”

 

* * *

 

 

Brianna took a moment after the dance to freshen up in the bathroom, and when she was fixing her hair in the mirror, she felt a surreal out-of-body kind of moment. Her dress was stunning, fitted beautifully; her black mask and devil horns were playful, sexy, and different; her eyes was shining with excitement (and, okay, a little champagne); and she was having fun. A weird kind of fun, but it was undeniable.

 

She took a few calming breaths, in and out, before popping a mint and heading out to the front of the castle to wait for Liam. The cool air was welcome again, and she decided to kill time examining the outside of the castle and the beautiful landscaping. True to his word, the prince slipped out of the castle and joined her at the exact twenty-minute mark. He moved close to her, breathing a little heavily from his escape, and she smiled happily at him.  
  
“Cutting it a little close there…”

 

 

“I was trapped in a conversation about table seating for tomorrow’s picnic, but I managed to tear myself away for you,” Liam said. He gestured to the maze. “Shall we?”

 

He held his arm out, and she admired how much of a gentleman he was. She wasn’t used to be treated this way, but she could certainly appreciate it. Brianna looped her arm through his, resting her hand against his muscular arm. Together they headed toward the maze, and she took in a breath of the evening air, admiring the stunning golden fountain and the twinkling lights that made the water sparkle.

  
“It really is beautiful here at night,” she said, almost more to herself than to her company.

 

“I wish I could take the credit, but the gardens out here were my mother’s vision. I think it was her last wish before… well.” Liam looked out at the blooming flowers spilling onto the grass and Brianna rubbed his arm with her hand.  
  
“Sometimes when I stroll this garden at night, I think of her,” he said as they stopped near the maze. His voice was sad as he tilted his chin back to look at the stars, and Brianna saw how glossy his eyes were with tears. It made her throat feel rough with the squeeze of holding back her own emotion. Liam’s mother was no longer here, and she had lost her father. It seemed like those two separate threads of tragedy could weave them closer together.

  
“I’m sure she appreciates that,” she said finally.

 

“Thanks. The garden holds a lot of good memories as well.”

 

“This is where you and Drake played maze-tag growing up, right?” Brianna knew the answer, but she wasn’t sure what else to say.

 

“Yeah. You probably think it’s silly, don’t you?” he asked, the slightest flush of pink embarrassment barely noticeable on his cheeks. She moved away from him, slipping out of his arm shook her head.

 

Her smile was huge as she leaned down and slowly took off her heels, letting her painted toes touch the soft, lush grass. Liam watched her curiously until she straightened up, her black heels dangling from her hand.  
  
“Whew. It sounds like a lot of fun, actually. In fact…” she reached her free arm out, her finger poised over Liam’s shoulder. “Tag! You’re ‘it’, Liam!”

 

Brianna’s feet, freed from their cumbersome high heels, led her through the lawn and toward the maze easily. Her dress was tight, but she did her best to keep ahead of Liam’s laughter as he moved behind her.  
  
“Cheater!” he yelled, laughing as the night air stung his cheeks. Liam’s long legs benefited from not being held together with tight material, and he quickly grew close to catching her.

 

Up ahead, Brianna could see the official maze entrance, under a hedge archway lined with twinkling fairy lights. Off to the side, there was a shortcut that would move her diagonally toward the arch, and she took it without much consideration. It boosted her lead against Liam, and she threw her head back in delighted laughter. Liam made a sound of playful frustration, and it fueled her competitive spirit. She kept her eyes out for the tree in the center that Liam had mentioned as she weaved her way through the hedges, keeping the leafy top of the tree in her field of vision.

 

Finally, she rounded a corner and saw the straight path to the tree swaying the breeze, a wooden swing inviting her to push ahead and collapse into it. The hedges were filled with flowers poking out and fairy lights lit the pathway, creating a stunning contrast between the colorful foliage and the deep, dark sky. Brianna slowed in amazement, the sheer beauty leaving her speechless, but it wasn’t even a second before Liam’s footsteps caught up to her. She looked to the side and shuffled off to the corner, concealed behind the edge of the shrub with a hand over her mouth to muffle her laughter and heavy breathing.

 

Liam rounded the corner, panting, and she could see the confusion on his face as he looked around. The center of the maze was conspicuously empty, and he pushed a hand through his perfectly coiffed hair.

  
“Brianna?”

  
He moved down the path, just past Brianna, and she popped up behind him, giggling unabashedly. Liam spun around, trying to tap her ‘it’ and laughing heartily.  
  
“Gotcha!” he shouted happily.

 

Brianna squealed in surprise and delight, but as he moved to tag her, his momentum threw the pair off-balance. In a fit of laughter, they tumbled over and rolled a few times, stopping near the wooden swing.

 

“We made it. The center of the maze,” Liam exhaled heavily, her weight on top of him as they lay tangled together.

 

“And I do believe I win,” she said,.

 

“How do you figure that?”

 

“Easy. I’m on top,” she replied, her hands resting against his chest.

 

“Hey, we don’t know who tagged who at the end there… I want a second ruling.”

 

“Well, we don’t always get what we want. Even princes,” she emphasized his title playfully. He laughed in response, but as he caught her eye, his face grew serious. There was something so vulnerable about laying on top of him and the way he was gazing up at her. She shuffled a little, laying on top of him but slightly off to the side.

  
“Something about you…” Liam moved his arms around her, and she felt herself melt into his embrace. He was so strong and… safe.  
  
“It just feels right to be around you,” he said.

 

“I feel the same way.” It did feel right to be around him, like he was the answer she had always been looking for. If she wrote a description of the perfect man, it seemed like Liam would fit every sentence.

 

“Brianna…”

  
Liam reached his hand up to cup her cheek, his fingers warm against her chilled skin. She leaned down into him, her lips pressing against his lightly. Liam’s other hand moved across her back, holding her against him as he deepened their kiss. She moved her lips against his, their softness and warmth a welcome form of affection after the long, confusing day.  
  
After a minute, Liam moved his head back and shook it slowly.

 

“We _shouldn’t_ … I don’t know what will happen, and I—”

 

“I know,” she said, running a finger against his cheek.

  
“What is it about you, Brianna? When you’re around, you make me want to break all the rules.” He laughed, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.

 

“Maybe you need someone like that in your life.”

 

“Maybe I do. That was… unexpected, but somehow perfect.”

 

Brianna felt a fluttering in her chest at his words. She loved getting to see this side of the prince. He was still charming, but playful and warm. It made her feel more positively about a potential future between them.

 

“You laughed more in this maze than you did all night in that masquerade,” she said, her words faltering a little. It seemed in bad taste to bring that up, but he didn’t seem bothered.

  
“I guess I really needed this. Thank you,” Liam said as she stood up, offering her hand to him. He chuckled, taking it, and they started dusting themselves off.

 

“No problem,” she said, returning his grin. “I had fun too.” Brianna plucked a piece of dust off the bodice of her dress, avoiding his eyes. “Will I see you soon?”  
  
“Yes, tomorrow. It’ll be very busy, but I’ll find the time.”  
  
Liam moved over to her, tilting her chin up to meet her eyes. She smiled warmly.

  
“I look forward to it,” she said, keeping her eyes on his as he lifted her hand to kiss it.

  
“Until then.”

 

* * *

 

 

Brianna waited until Liam left the maze to get a moment alone with her thoughts. After a few minutes, she decided it was too much to process right now, so she made her way back to the castle. She found her room after a few tries, and closed the door behind her. Brianna couldn’t wait to undress, take her makeup off, and crawl into the luxurious king-sized bed with the silk duvet. She reached behind her to unzip her dress, but there were a few short knocks on her door. With a little frown of confusion, she moved to open the door.

 

“Maxwell! Hey!”

 

“I know it’s late, but there’s someone you should meet,” he said. His eyebrows wiggled playfully and he moved his hands to his side, shaking them in anticipation.  
  
“Bertrand, this is the one I was telling you about… Brianna!” Maxwell stepped aside to let an imposing man with a stern expression into her bedroom. He was handsome and the family resemblance was immediately evident, but Bertrand’s expression was much more serious. Even his posture was more rigid, and his outfit was put together with what seemed like great care.

 

“This is the girl you’ve chosen to represent our house?” he asked Maxwell, his eyebrows raised slightly.

 

“Yep!” Maxwell’s grin was oblivious. “Nailed it, right?” He turned to Brianna, motioning to his brother.  
  
“Brianna, this is my older brother, Bertrand.”

 

She gave him her most poised smile. Winning over a grumpy brother was the kind of challenge she liked. “It’s nice to meet you, Bertrand.”

 

“The proper way to address a duke is ‘Your Grace’,” he corrected, his eyes appraising her carefully.  
  
_Funny, Maxwell didn’t mention the stick up your ass._

Brianna fought against the urge to say what she was really thinking, and instead opened her eyes wide and blinked a few times. She arranged her features into a slightly overexaggerated surprised face.

  
“Oh! I’m _so_ sorry, _Your Grace_ ,” she emphasized, her smile saccharine. Bertrand apparently didn’t get the level of sarcasm she laced into her reaction. He appraised her carefully and sucked his teeth.

  
“At least it looks like you can be trained.”  
  
“Hey, I’m not your pet,” she said, crossing her arms in front of her. That kind of attitude was exactly what took her several dozen therapy sessions to fight, and she’d be damned if she let this bitter Beaumont push her around.

 

Maxwell raised his hands, palms out, looking between them. “He didn’t mean it like that…”

 

“Hmph,” Bertrand turned to his brother, ignoring Brianna entirely. “Maxwell, a word with you in private?”

 

His scowl was so pronounced it would have been funny in another situation, but she felt a little nervous as Bertrand grabbed Maxwell’s arm roughly and pushed him out of the room. The door slammed behind them, but their voices were still audible through the door. She caught phrases that pertained to her, and then she heard her name… once… twice… three times. Brianna edged toward the door a little more, leaning against the frame and leaning her head toward their voices.

 

“ _That’s_ the girl you picked to represent out family?”

 

“Yeah. That’s Brianna. Liam really hit it off with her they met at the restaurant for his bachelor party. She was our waitress.”

 

“A _waitress_. You brought a _waitress._ ” Bertrand didn’t sound mad anymore, just disappointed. 

 

Brianna fidgeted with a ring on her finger, spinning it around as Bertrand’s voice raised in anger.

  
“I knew I shouldn’t have trusted you! We could’ve had our pick of any unsponsored duchess or countess in half of Europe.”  
  
“Well, sure, but like I said, she and Liam have a lot of, you know, _chemistry_. I think he really likes her. I know you probably don’t care, but she could make him really happy. Like I’ve-never-seen-him-so-happy kind of happy.” Maxwell paused. To his credit, he sounded unfazed by Bertrand’s yelling. The pause grew and she heard a scuffling noise before Maxwell continued.

  
“Shouldn’t Liam have a shot at love like that, even if he _is_ the prince?”

 

“Spare me your sentimentality. You’d better hope that this waitress doesn’t ruin everything.”

 

Brianna was nearly smacked in the face as the door flung open, and she let out a little exclamation of surprise.

 

Bertrand was clearly pissed. His brows were furrowed, his nose was scrunched, and his mouth was twisted into a frown. “

 

“You were listening to everything, weren’t you?” he shouted, his body tense.

 

“Listening in?” Brianna repeated, running through her options. Honestly, she was so exhausted of watching every little thing she had been saying today. It was too troublesome to lie, and she didn’t much care if Bertrand knew the truth. “Yeah, and I don’t like what I heard. You don’t even know me.”

 

“Perfect, a waitress with _no manners_ ,” Bertrand said. Her nostrils flared. Who was this prick? She stepped forward, uncrossing her arms.

  
“Look, _you’re_ the one who invited me here. If you’re so unhappy with me, just get another girl.”

 

“No!” Maxwell shook his head frantically. “You can’t do that! We already said you were our pick, so if you go, we’ve got no one.”

 

“Maxwell is, unfortunately, correct. We’re _stuck_ with you.” Bertrand exhaled sharply, and he rubbed his temples. He looked at Brianna and spoke more calmly. “Perhaps Maxwell didn’t explain this to you, but if our house puts forth the prince’s choice, we’ll win fame and recognition.”  
  
“Sometime we could really use right now, actually, ‘cause we’re kinda broke,” Maxwell said. He shrugged to downplay his words, but Brianna saw the pain in his face.

  
“Maxwell.” Bertrand’s snappish tone was back. “You overstep.”

 

“Sorry,” Maxwell frowned, darting his eyes away from his brother’s judging stare.

 

Brianna rubbed the back of her neck. This was all a little too much for her to process. First, Maxwell had said that Liam really liked her, and she stood a chance at making him happy in a very real kind of way. Now, after giving her the opportunity of the lifetime, Maxwell was confessing their house was broke and needed her to win Liam’s affections. That was a challenge with impossible stakes, and she felt the prickles of a headache coming on. She looked between the two brothers and realized they were waiting for her to react.

  
“Guess that explains why I had to buy my own dress for the masquerade,” she said with a mirthless chuckle.

 

“Precisely,” Bertrand said. He was nodding as if he was impressed she actually understood, but his face was grim.

 

“Sorry about that. We can only afford the very minimum,” Maxwell said. “No one outside of our family really knows how bad things are.”

 

“Do you get money if I marry Prince Liam?” she asked, her eyes searching Maxwell’s face for deception. She trusted him to be honest with her, in his own goofy way.

  
Bertrand cleared his throat. “Not… directly, but we can leverage the prestige to great effect. It would be best to get that leverage before others find out our situation. In the circles we run in, if word got out of our financial ruin, it would be a scandal.”

 

It made sense to her. Back in New York, she had completed her degree in communications, majoring in public relations. If she understood the intricacies of anything since she arrived at court, it was the way a well-spun story could be exploited to the maximum. She couldn’t blame Bertrand for his reaction to the news that their chance at a comeback laid in someone who wasn’t groomed for the job, but it didn’t excuse the things he said to her. If anything, she may have even gained respect for his keen eye and unique perspective on the situation… shame about his piss poor attitude.

 

 

“But our name is still worth something in Cordonia! At the very least, we can introduce you to the right people, get you invitations to the right events. I only regret that we can’t offer you more,” Maxwell said, his eyes kind as he met Brianna’s.

  
“Speaking of which, have you prepared for tomorrow’s event?” Bertrand asked, his eyes running down Brianna appraisingly. She assumed her was evaluating her outfit.

 

“Event?” she asked.

 

“That’s the derby,” Maxwell clarified.”

 

Bertrand smiled tightly at Brianna. “You know what a derby is, right?”

 

“A fancy horse race,” she responded, eliciting an actual smile and a ‘very good’ from Bertrand. Damn. It did feel good to earn a small piece of his approval, and she hated herself for enjoying it.

 

“The derby will be your first opportunity to make an impression on the press. They’ll be covering the event,” Bertrand explained.  
  
“They don’t get a lot of opportunities to see the royals, so they’ll jump at this chance,” Maxwell said.

 

“Oh… I assume they’re important then?” she asked.

 

“Yes. _Very._ ” Bertrand’s tone was serious, but he was clearly confident in what he was saying. “Everyone in Cordonia will be influenced by what they write about you.”

 

“We’re a monarchy, but we serve the people. You’ll need their approval if you’re going to become queen,” Maxwell said, shooting her a thumbs-up. Brianna smiled back at him.

 

“Well, I guess it’s a good thing I have a degree majoring in public relations,” she said smoothly.

  
Bertrand’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, and Maxwell clapped his hands together excitedly.  
  
“Woohoo!” Maxwell yelped, giving Brianna a high-five.  
  
“Yes, that is certainly… beneficial,” Bertrand agreed after a moment’s pause.  
  
“I know I’m just a waitress in your eyes, but I didn’t come here to stand on the sidelines, Bertrand. Maxwell put his trust in me, and I don’t take that lightly,” she said, meeting his eyes with a smile. “I’ll make myself likeable for the press, and Cordonia. I won’t say anything stupid, trip, or spill anything on myself.”

 

“Speaking of which, you should consider your attire for tomorrow. The queen will be present at the derby, and the right outfit will go a long way in earning her favour. I recommend going for a derby look that’s modern to impress the queen,” Bertrand said. He was looking intently at her outfit, and she shifted her weight under his intense stare.

 

“I’ll keep that in mind,” she promised.

 

“I’ve made an appointment for you in the morning at the boutique already,” Maxwell told her.

 

Bertrand nodded in approval, and smoothed down his sweater. “We’ll speak more tomorrow right before we head out for the derby. Good night.” He hadn’t even finished speaking before his hand was on the door and he and Maxwell were out of the room.

 

Brianna exhaled heavily. She took her time to get ready for bed, slipping into a comfortable pair of pajamas and sliding into the bed with a big, happy sigh.  
  
_Finally_.

 

She pushed the thoughts of Liam, the broke Beaumont brothers, the socialites—both the sweet and the sour—and Drake out of her mind and let herself fall into a dreamless sleep, feeling relaxed and at peace with her situation.  
  
For now.

 

* * *

* * *

 


	5. Chapter Five: Triple D’s: The Derby, Drake and Delighting the Press

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summary: The press meets the ladies and Brianna does her best to stand out while breaking rules.
> 
> **NSFW: Language**

* * *

* * *

 

When Brianna woke up, she rubbed her eyes groggily. With a grunt she threw on some of her workout gear and jogged around the sprawling property. She had picked up the habit of starting every day with a jog a long time ago, but since coming to Cordonia she had never found them so refreshing. It was the crisp air, the impossibly gorgeous scenery, everything. By the time she finished up and stepped out of the shower, she only had a few hours before they were supposed to leave for the derby, and she still had to go down to the boutique to pick out her outfit. Another long day.

 

She dressed simply in yoga pants and an oversized t-shirt that fell off her shoulder to make her way to the boutique. She was a few minutes early, and she caught the tail end of Olivia’s appointment as she was putting the finishing touches on her outfit. She looked absolutely breathtaking in a bright seafoam dress with ruffles down the side and a canary yellow flower-inspired headpiece.

  
“Oh! I’m surprised to see _you_ here. I thought you’d have gone home by now. Surely you’ve realized that you don’t have a chance at winning.” Olivia said. Her smile was tight and her eyes were cold.  
  
“Olivia, surely you’ve realized you can’t intimidate me.” Brianna’s tone was nearly bored, but Olivia just shook her head.

 

“Hmm. They say chickens are too stupid to know when they’re being led to the slaughter.” Olivia’s smile turned into a snarky smirk. “But even chickens have prettier plumage than _you_ , my dear.”

 

Brianna scoffed. “You’re one to talk.” This woman really pushed her buttons, and she was already feeling agitated at the stakes of the day. Olivia wasn’t helping at all, not that she had been expecting her to.

  
“I can’t wait to see what you wear to the derby. Anything less than runway couture, and the press is going to walk right past you. Do they even have derbies where you come from?” Olivia asked, examining her nails. They had been repainted, yellow to match her headpiece. If there was one thing Olivia seemed to do right, it was her appearance. She was impeccably groomed, her makeup was flawless, her hair was glossy, and her outfit was stunning.

 

“Yes,” Brianna snapped. She wanted to say more, but she didn’t want to give Olivia the satisfaction of the reaction.

 

“Well, I’m sure you haven’t gone to them. Toodles,” she said. She raised her hand halfheartedly in a parting before the sound of her nude heels faded.

 

Brianna turned to the dresses, flipping through roughly. Runway-worthy and modern. She knew she could find something that would work, and she was hoping that the retail therapy would soothe her nerves. Plus, she basically had a degree in talking to the public, and even Bertrand had been mildly impressed by that.

 

In the changing room, her third outfit was the winner. She settled on a white camisole with a fun neckline to showcase some cleavage, tucked into a tight pink skirt with red roses and green leaf details. Branna added a sheer black hat with white ribbon and slipped on a pair of black Louboutins—one of her only relics from her New York social climbing days. She tucked her long, dark hair into a side bun to show off the hat and her neckline, and after a moment’s hesitation, she added a necklace with pink geometric blocks. Stepping back, she ran her hands over her accentuated hips and smiled. This outfit was cute, just a hint of sexy, and very modern.

 

“Derby, here I come!” she said to her reflection, breaking into a silly smile.

 

* * *

 

 

She had been putting on the final touches to her makeup in her room when Maxwell appeared at her door. Now he was pacing behind her vanity quizzing her while Brianna coated her lashes in mascara and reapplied her bright pink lipstick.

  
“So, let’s review. At the lawn picnic, you’ll have to eat with perfect civility—”

 

“I’ve got this, Maxwell,” she said. Brianna caught his eye in the mirror and smiled reassuringly. “I won’t stuff my mouth, pick my teeth, or stab Drake with a fork… no matter how tempting that last one might be.”

 

Brianna could tell that her companion was distracted as he didn’t even smile at her comment, and she was expecting a full laugh from him.  
  
“Right. Well, Bertrand said I should go over _everything_. Speaking of which, how would you address Bertrand?”  
  
“I’m _supposed_ to address him as Your Grace,” she said, spraying some perfume on her neck and wrists.

  
“Right!” Maxwell looked delighted. “And, in case it comes up, his full title is Duke Bertrand Beaumont of Ramsford, also known as Duke Ramsford.”  
  
She crossed her eyes at him in the mirror, but there was a knock at the door before she could come up with a quip. Maxwell opened the door and Bertrand stepped through, commanding attention. If Brianna had to give him credit, he certainly had the same regal poise and nobility that Prince Liam carried.

 

“Maxwell. How’s progress?” he asked, ignoring Brianna.

 

“As planned! Brianna and I were just about to review her entrance to the derby and how to get out of a car without flashing the press…”

 

She turned to Bertrand, standing from her velvet stool and shot him her most poised smile.

  
“Adjust skirts before moving and keep your knees and feet together while swiveling out.”

 

Bertrand sighed loudly in response, and Brianna’s face crumpled. She really thought that would impress him a little.

 

“Anyone who can run an internet search can spout off that kind of protocol. We’re asking you to be a _lady_. Maxwell, I hope you don’t mind if I take the liberty of testing Brianna myself,” Bertrand spoke, his eyes focusing on Brianna as if she were a child about to be disciplined.

 

“Pretty sure it doesn’t matter whether or not I mind,” Maxwell mumbled, and Brianna’s lips twitched in amusement at his response.

 

“Indeed,” he agreed, moving over to Brianna. She gritted her teeth. This exact situation was so familiar to her and it made her feel sick. No matter how many times she told her brain that this was different, this wasn’t the same as what Hunter did, she couldn’t move past this mental block in her mind. Still, she was hopelessly stubborn and knowing that House Beaumont needed her to win Liam’s affections lit a fire in her that nothing else could. Plus, impressing Bertrand would be the ultimate test. Brianna was confused about how she felt and how to deal with her conflicting opinions on what to do, but there wasn’t any time to analyze it right now.

 

“Brianna, let’s pretend I’m meeting you for the first time,” Bertrand suggested. After a second, he cleared his throat. “Hello, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Brianna Richardson.”

 

“The pleasure is all mine, Duke Ramsford.” Her voice was calm, measured, and smooth as she responded, and she ensured her posture was elegant. Brianna gave him a polite, but warm, smile as she dipped into a curtsy. As she straightened out, she offered her hand for Bertrand to take and kiss.

 

“Now, what did I do wrong?” he asked.

 

“You used the wrong hand. You should have taken my hand with your left hand, otherwise it’s an insult.”

 

Maxwell shot her a thumbs-up behind his brother’s back and Brianna felt herself flush with pride as Bertrand’s face allowed a smile.

  
“Very observant of you,” Bertrand said.

 

“You thought I wasn’t learning anything,” she teased.

 

“Don’t get too complacent. You’re only every one mistake away from a scandal.”

 

“Thanks for the reminder,” Brianna said, feeling agitated. Why did he have to bring up things like that? She supposed he was trying to impart wisdom on her, but it was the wrong timing for it. He didn’t seem to notice, but Maxwell gave her an exaggerated shrug, bringing his hands skyward with the palms up as if to say ‘I dunno’.

 

“Anyway, the real reason I came was to inform you that our limo awaits to take us to Honeyhill Downs.”

 

Brianna perked up, her eyes flicking between the two. “Limo?”

 

Maxwell grinned and nodded happily while Bertrand frowned and moved out of the room quickly, leaving the other two to follow.

 

* * *

 

 

Tucked inside the limo, Brianna helped herself to a few mints and rolled them around in her mouth. It was a game when she was a kid where she’d try not to bite down on candy or mints ever. As silly as it seemed, it did ground her a little and make her focus on something other than her nerves.

  
“Now as we mentioned earlier, how come you come across to the Cordonian people if very important, and the press can make or break you,” Bertrand began, sitting up straighter. “What the press writes, the people read. If the people love you, then it’ll be easy to convince them you deserve their prince.

 

“So you’ve got to impress the press, so to speak. You’ll be surrounded by them as soon as soon as we pull up to the Downs,” Maxwell warned.

 

“I know guys… I promise I’m not lying about going to school for this kind of thing,” she chuckled good-naturedly. “Alright, what kinds of questions should I be expecting?” Brianna had a good guess as to the standard kinds of questions that would be lobbed her way, but she supposed extra information wouldn’t hurt. Clearly the brothers were committed to making her succeed, so it felt wrong to turn down their help.

 

“It’ll depend on who’s doing the interview. They’ll start with easy questions, asking who you are, where you’re from, that sort of thing,” Bertrand said.

 

Maxwell nodded in agreement. “People want to understand your story, so think about how you want them to see you.”

 

“Then the hard questions… I don’t know what they’ll ask, but…” Bertrand trailed off.

  
“Be myself?” she suggested.

 

“Heavens, no. Be a future queen who loves Cordonia and acts with grace and poise. And for the love of king and country, if they ask you about Cordonian apples, make sure you take the question seriously.”

 

Brianna had to admit, that was good advice. But the apples? “Cordonian… apples?”

 

“It’s the national fruit, and one of our most important exports,” Maxwell chimed in helpfully.

 

“Ah, got it,” she said, biting her lower lip to hide her laughter.

 

“Do you? How confident are you feeling about this?” Bertrand asked, his face serious and his eyes narrowing.

 

“I feel great! It’ll be fun. I get where the press is coming from and what they want. I’ll give them a great sound bite and pose for a picture.” Brianna gave them her practiced smile, and Bertrand scoffed.

 

“I hope your overconfidence won’t be your downfall,” he snapped.

 

Maxwell eyed his brother and then shot a look at Brianna, his face breaking into a wide grin. “Well, I believe in you.”

 

Brianna mouthed ‘thank you’ to him and bit down on her mints, giving in to nerves. It wouldn’t do any good to express that she wasn’t as confident as she was pretending to be. Fake it until you make it, right?

 

* * *

 

 

The limo pulled around, arriving at the racetrack. The crowd was colourful and diverse, with big hats poking through and dozens of press reporters jockeying for interviews behind a line of velvet stanchions.

 

“Wow,” Briana managed, “it’s so exciting! I feel like I’m at a fair…”

  
It looked like a movie. The grass was such a perfect green and lush with pure white tents spread out across the lawn. The race track was huge, and there was a buzz in the air palpable from inside the limo.

 

“A ‘fair’?” Bertrand repeated dubiously. He sucked his teeth in disappointment. “This is no country fair where you weigh pigs and eat pie. This is _the_ outdoor event of the social season.”

 

Maxwell exited the limo and walked around to let Brianna out. He opened the door and flashed her a reassuring smile. “This is your stop, my lady.”

 

“You’re coming with me, right?”

 

“No, we don’t need to be interviewed,” Bertrand cut in.

 

Brianna nodded. “Okay… but where should I go after I talk to the press?”

 

The event was a lot larger than she expected, with the groups of people milling about creating even more anxiety for her. Was she expected to know all these people and introduce herself to them all properly? If she addressed someone incorrectly, she’d be mortified.

 

“The ladies vying for Liam’s hand have their own section. Just continue down the red carpet,” Maxwell said, pointing vaguely, “and search for the pink tents. You’ll be fine. We’ll see you out there.” His face was pinched, and he seemed to have a nervous energy about him.

 

She realized that he likely _was_ nervous, as he could only try to put trust in Brianna’s promises about dazzling the press. Somehow this made her palms sweat, but she pressed them down on her skirt with a steady sigh. With her knees together, she slid out of the limo and took a few confident steps, trying not to look too alarmed as a swarm of reporters approached her. A microphone nearly hit her in the face and she dodged subtly out of the way, flashing a smile.

 

Brianna could see Maxwell in her peripherals, and she gave her an encouraging nod. That relaxed her, somewhat, and she straightened her posture and kept her smile on. Maxwell leaned closer, behind her and slightly off to the side. “Remember what Bertrand said! Easy questions first, hardball questions later. You’ll do great!”

 

The limo doors closed behind her, and she could hear the vehicle driving away, taking Maxwell with it. She turned to face a reporter who was calling out to her, his smirk and backwards cap giving a playful vibe.

 

“Over here!” he called. “Donald Brine from the _Cordonia Broadcasting Center_. We’ve heard about the new lady on the social scene! What’s your name?”

 

Brianna turned to him, leaning slightly into his mic. She pictured him as a close friend, and tried to imagine being delighted and charmed to speak to him. More importantly, she wanted to try and charm him, as if she could do that, she knew that it would be impressive.

 

“Lady Brianna Richardson from House Beaumont,” she replied easily, her smile natural.

 

“Our viewers care about getting the real story. Tell us about yourself!”

 

Brianna pondered for a beat, long enough to show she put some thought into her answer, but responded before the pause became awkward. “I’m the adventurous American lone wolf,” she told him, her tone light and teasing. “I’m the only American amoung all of these European noble ladies.”

 

“Do you think that affects your chances against the other ladies?”

 

Brianna shook her head slightly, her face kind but passionate. “We are all different in our own ways. Love knows no borders,” she said.

 

“A fascinating spin…” Donald said. He was scrolling through his phone and tapping in notes, and his face was pensive. “Now, I’ve heard early rumours that you’re Prince Liam’s favourite... What do you think makes you stand out?”

 

“Prince Liam first noticed me because I share his love for the Statue of Liberty,” she replied, her eyes twinkling with genuine excitement at the memory. It was a magical night that she would always remember, and it reinforced her American girl angle.

 

The reporter seemed to agree. “A true American girl,” he said. He held out his camera, and gestured toward her with it. “Can I get a photo of you?”

 

“Of course!” she said.

 

“Throw us your best look!”

 

Within seconds she put one foot in front of the other, giving her legs a slimmer, longer look, and angled her hips slightly. She tilted her head gently and kept a polished smile on her face with a gleam in her eye.

  
“Wonderful, just wonderful. You’re very photogenic,” he said. Brianna could hear him mumbling to himself as he typed out more notes on his phone.

 

“’The American’ sweeps the derby red carpet…” he said to himself, moving away from the crowd. A sharp blonde woman in an impeccable suit lifted her hand casually.

 

“Lady Richardson, Ana de Luca here on behalf of _Trend_ , fashion and celebrity news magazine. Now, to get into it… Lady Richardson… As an outsider, what do you think of Cordonia?”

 

“It’s a country full of charm and wonder,” Brianna responded in delight, gesturing to the impressive landscape behind her.

 

“The people will be happy to hear it,” Ana said, flicking her short blonde bob as she consulted her notes. “Lady Richardson, if you marry Prince Liam, you’ll be our next queen. What qualities make you fit to rule Cordonia?”

 

Brianna’s eyes sparked in interest. Now _that_ was a good question. She nodded seriously, as if considering seriously before answering. “I would be a good fit to rule Cordonia because I’m graceful and composed. The people can trust me to look out for them and to keep a cool head in times of crisis. I’d consider myself brave, caring and honest.”  
  
Ana looked happy with her answer, and Brianna was careful to keep her face more serious and stop flashing her charming grins for a second.  
  
“That’ll be a nice soundbite. Last question… Hypothetically, how would you handle news about low crop yields from the Cordonian apple orchards?”

 

“My first act would be to comfort the people,” she replied quickly with a little shake of her head, as if the thought was too hard to bear. “I know how important the Cordonian apples are to the country and its people, and they deserve to know I’d take this problem seriously. Then, of course, we’d talk about ways to deal with the crisis at hand.”

  
“I can use that…” Ana murmured.

  
Brianna opened her mouth to say more, but the line of people arriving behind her was starting to push her down the red carpet.

 

“Looks like that’s all our time,” Ana said smoothly, and Donald nodded. “Thanks, Lady Richardson,” he said.

  
“Glad to have someone interesting like you in the running,” Ana said. She had the hint of a smile on her glossed lips, and Brianna ducked her head respectfully.

 

“Thank you,” Brianna said, giving them a last smile before she lifted hand in parting. The red carpet was lined with photographers, and she had to stop for photos along the way. Finally, she made her way to the sprawling lawn, and she looked around for a pink tent. There was a set of three large white tents, but she couldn’t see anything pink.

 

After a few moments, she realized the mass of moving hats had disoriented her and she was unable to spot anyone familiar. She wasn’t entirely sure where to go, but she decided to keep walking and try to figure it out. Eventually she wandered into a nearby stable in hopes of finding a staff member or someone she could ask for assistance. The wooden stable had that distinct sweet, earthy smell, and she poked her head in a few stalls. They were all empty except for one. The chestnut horse whinnied and stepped back as she looked in, and Brianna instinctively moved back.  
  
“Sorry,” she murmured to the animal, moving her head to the other end of the stable. “Hello? Any humans in here? I could use some directions…” she called out, moving out of the stall and looking around. A gust of wind blew through and slammed the door behind her shut. It made her jump in surprise, and she immediately turned to the horse. It was up on its hind legs, neighing in fear. In just a second the horse touched down and began charging for the open door, barreling right toward Brianna.

 

She stood still and raised her hands to chest level. “Easy, easy horsey!” she soothed, keeping her voice calm, “everything’s okay!”

 

The horse snorted and galloped straight at her, rearing up at the last second. Brianna was frozen to the spot, and she let out a little yelp of distress. At the last moment, a tall man darted between her and the horse. She moved backward, stumbling over her heels and falling gently into a pile of hay.

 

 _Of course._ Brianna raised her eyes to see Drake. _Of fucking course._  
  
“Whoa there. Whoa,” he soothed the horse, his hands rubbing the horse’s neck gently. With his back to her, he didn’t seem concerned about Brianna at all and instead focused on the horse. His fingers moved through the horse’s mane, and he was able to gently nudge the horse’s head down, stroking its nose as he whispered reassurances.

 

“Nothin’ to worry about, big fella. I’ll get this girl outta here for you.”

 

True to his word, Drake led the horse back to his stable and closed the door, staying still for a few moments. Brianna lifted herself from the hay and worked to brush the loose pieces off her outfit. Drake turned to her, his face neutral.  
  
“You okay, Brianna?”

 

“Drake, you saved me.” Her eyes narrowed at him in a mocking suspicion.  
  
“Really?” he asked, looking from her to the stable. “I thought I was saving the horse… these derby runners are like athletes. Can’t risk an injury tripping over a stray human.”

Brianna let out a snort of laughter. Either this guy was just a jaded asshole, or his dry humour was refreshing in juxtaposition to all the carefully crafted noble speeches.

 

“Oh, charming,” she replied dryly. “Did the horse knock the sense out of you?”

“Nah…” Drake rotated his arms, examining his bare forearms. “In fact, I got away without a scratch.”

 

She couldn’t quite figure out what his angle was. “What are you even doing here?”

 

Drake ran his fingers through his hair, fluffing up the dark brown locks. It made him look a little less severe and more boyish.

 

“Look… I…” he sighed. She saw a frown cross his face. “The truth is, Liam told me to keep an eye on you and make sure you don’t end up in the wrong place... exactly like now.”

 

“He told you that?” she asked, unable to hide her surprise.

 

“Yeah, good thing I followed his instructions, huh?” Drake’s lips twitched in amusement. She felt a playful kinship with him, but she wasn’t sure how to assess his standoffish attitude. “Speaking of which, you should get back to the racetrack and your adoring fans.”

 

Adoring fans? Drake really had a chip on his shoulder, and it was agitating her a little. She was supposed to schmooze with the press and be likeable, was it so unforgivable that she may have actually managed that?  
  
“I’d love to, but I’m lost. Maxwell told me to look for the pink tents?”

 

“He’s wrong. You’re looking for the white tents next to the starting line… can’t miss them.” Drake turned to leave, and looked back over his shoulder. “Good luck!”

 

“You’re not coming with me?”

 

“No… I’m due to meet Liam. He has his own private tent. We usually just hang out there and get some drinks, watch the ceremonies, place our bets on the horses… it’s pretty sweet,” he said with a crooked smile. Clearly, he was going to enjoy the break from the spotlight. It was kind of odd to think of Drake and Liam as childhood friends, but she could see their personalities balancing out well.

 

“In that case, I’m going with you,” she decided.

 

Drake’s eyebrows shot up and his mouth popped open a little in disbelief. “What?”

 

“It sounds more fun where you’re going. Take me with you,” she said with a small shrug. He seemed to search her face for a hint of a smile, something that said she was just joking.

 

“I don’t think you’re supposed to…” he replied, his resolve trailing off.

  
“What are they going to do? Put me in princess jail?”

 

Drake shook his head, his eyes rolling skyward playfully, but he didn’t stop her from matching his pace. She followed him in silence until they stopped in front of one of the private tents ringed around the racetrack.

 

“Here. You go ahead,” he said, stepping aside for her. “I’m going to grab some beers for us.” Drake handed her a laminated pass. His skin was hot and rough. She took it and slipped into the private tent. Liam was staring intently at the racetrack, his eyebrows knitted together in concentration. He looked so handsome, and she wanted to kiss the spot between his eyebrows, where his wrinkles were appearing, Instead, she moved behind him slowly and deliberately, reaching up on her tiptoes and covering his eyes.

 

He tensed at her touch immediately, and she quickly sang out, “Guess who!” She didn’t want to startle him or freak him out. At the sound of her voice, he relaxed.

  
“There’s only one person who could find me here and sneak up on me.”

 

She could hear the smile in his voice.

 

“Brianna.” He was confident in his choice, and she giggled.  
  
“Correct!” she sang. Liam turned around, his face the picture of delight.

  
“However in the world did you manage to get in here?”

 

“Actually, Drake was kind enough to let me in,” she said.

  
“Drake’s never been one to follow the rules,” Liam chuckled to himself, shaking his head as if to say ‘of course’. “Maybe that’s why he’s my best friend.”

 

It was a sweet sentiment, and she could certainly see why that would be appealing to a guy like Liam. It was endearing to her as well, and she felt that having someone like Drake push Liam would help him embrace that playful side she saw last night. A moment of silence passed between them, and she bit her lip nervously. Was it worth bringing up what Drake had told her? She couldn’t really imagine letting it go.

 

“Speaking of which… I had a funny conversation with Drake. He said you told him to look out for me.”

 

“Ah… right.” Liam’s face was impressively controlled. “I guess you caught me. I did say that to him.”

 

“Liam… don’t you think I can take care of myself?”  
  
“Honestly, you seem like one of the most capable people I’ve ever met. It’s only that I know these events can be chaotic… intimidating… I hate the thought of you feeling lost when I can’t be there with you,” he said with a frown. His eyes met hers and he searched her face questioningly. “I hope you’re not terribly offended.”

 

Brianna shrugged. “I guess it makes sense when you put it that way.”  
  
She didn’t love the idea that he felt that it was his duty, or rather whoever he appointed, to watch over her. It came from a good place though, and she had to admit it made her feel satisfied to hear Liam call her capable. A selfish part of her also realized that this meant he was thinking about her, and trying to understand her position. That couldn’t be a bad thing.

 

“Ah, there’s leading the horses to the starting gates now,” he said, motioning to the track. The pair turned, and she smiled in anticipation. The horses were majestic as they pranced forward, tossing their heads and nickering.

 

“I love watching the horses,” Liam said.

 

“What strikes me is that they’re so powerful,” she replied. Her mind flashed back to being almost trampled by the horse earlier. Drake had stepped in without hesitation, and thought she was having a hard time figuring him out, she admired that unwavering loyalty.

 

“Horsepower. Heh. Cars are still measured by the strength of horses, aren’t they?” he said.

 

“Oh, right.” Brianna wasn’t sure to say to that.

 

“But these horses have a grace to them too. Watching a horse gallop at full speed is like watching a waterfall. An unstoppable force in fluid motion.”

 

It was a bit of an odd comparison, but she understood what he meant by that. It was poetic in a way, and she started to tell him that but Drake let himself into the tent before she could respond. His hands were full with three cups of beer, and she could see the condensation beading. Her mouth watered as Drake handed a cup to her.

 

“Hope I’m not interrupting anything,” Drake said, taking a healthy swig of his drink.

 

“Of course not. We’re always happy to see you.”

 

She raised her glass to him, taking a sip. Damn, that was smooth and cold. It quenched her thirst immediately.

 

“You are?” Drake asked, his face serious.

 

“Yeah, come join us,” she motioned over. It was a little weird, but maybe he thought he’d be interrupting her time with Liam. Really, she wouldn’t be here without him.

 

“And you’re just in time. The last race is about to start! I saw Twilight-Dash takes the crown.” Liam motioned to the track with his cup of beer.

 

Drake clicked his tongue, shaking his head. “That’s not a bad prediction, but I’ve been studying the stats. My money’s on Marabelle’s Dream.”

 

“Want to bet on that, Drake?” Liam’s face broke into a childish smile, and Brianna’s eyes darted over to Drake. He returned the grin easily, and she felt the warmth of their friendship.

  
“Sure. The usual?”

 

What’s the usual?” she asked Drake, sipping at her beer.

 

“Ever since Drake and I were kids, we’d bet each other push-ups.”

 

Brianna giggled, rolling her eyes lightheartedly. Of course. What a boy thing to do. It was adorable to see the two interact, especially since she hadn’t really seen much of them together.

 

“Not just any push-ups,” Drake corrected, his smile growing.

 

“Push-ups while the other person sits on your back,” Liam clarified with a laugh. Soon they were all laughing, and Brianna raised her hand to teasingly cover her face.  
  
“That’s… so cute!” she managed.

 

“It’s not ‘cute’. It’s…” Drake paused. “Rugged. And manly.”

 

“Yes, very tough, I’d say,” Liam agreed with a dry nod.

 

“Oh, right. Of course,” she bobbed her head in agreement.

 

Liam looked at Drake, raising his cup. “So do we have a bet?”

 

Drake looked to Brianna quickly, then back to his friend.

 

“You’re on,” Drake said, raising his cup to Liam’s. They both took a hearty drink. Brianna took a sip from her beer as well, glancing out to the field. She was happy to be up in the private tent, getting a chance to know Prince Liam and Drake better. The beer didn’t hurt, either.

 

“Except perhaps one change to the usual. I think we’d be incredibly rude to leave out Brianna… Maybe she should be the one to sit on the loser’s back…”  Liam suggested.

 

“Sit on your back while one of you does push-ups? I’m happy to help,” she replied quickly. The thought made her heart beat a little faster.

 

What?

 

She was only human.

 

“There we have it, then,” Liam said. Before the boys could keep stressing their manliness, the race was announced to begin. The trio settled down into their chairs, sipping at their beer and training their eyes on the track. As the race began, they all leaned forward in anticipation.

 

“Twilight-Dash takes the lead,” Liam announced, his voice measured but proud.

“Race isn’t over yet,” Drake reminded him, leaning even further. “Go, Marabelle!”

 

“They’re rounding the third bend…” Liam mumbled, almost to himself, and Brianna found herself clutching the beer cup a little too tightly. It was thrilling to watch the horse race, their sheer power and beauty almost overwhelming.

 

“Come on, Marabelle!” Drake shouted, his excitement evident. “You’re gaining. Catch them in the final furlong,” he said quietly, tapping his fingers against the armrest.

 

“They’re neck-and-neck,” Brianna said, her eyes darting between two horses, grey dappled and jet black.  
  
“Come on…” Liam said to himself, his hands clasped in front of him, his beer off to the side.

 

“And there goes Marabelle! Ha! I knew it!” Drake exclaimed. He cheered loudly as they watched Marabelle’s Dream get led to the side of the racetrack. She was wreathed in roses as Drake downed his drink, clapping and shouting.

 

“Liam, I believe you’re up,” he said, his lips threatening to curve into a smile.

 

Liam stood with a big sigh, his face pained. “Well, here we go…”

 

Drake shot him a huge, shit-eating grin. He knew that Liam didn’t want to look stupid in front of Brianna, and he was taking full advantage of it.

 

“If you think I’m going to bow gracefully and let you out of the bet, you’re dead wrong.”

 

“Oh, I know. That’s one of my favourite things about you, Drake. You never let me get away with anything,” he said. His words bordered on sarcastic, but his smile warmed his eyes. “Now, I can’t get these clothes all sweaty.”

 

Liam took off his blazer and unbuttoned his shirt, setting them aside carefully.

  
“Oh!” Brianna tried not to stare, and instead caught Drake’s eyes. He looked… almost jealous? Drake caught her looking and crossed his arms, flicking his eyes over to the track. Liam got down on the ground, holding himself up. _Fucking hell_. He was hot. Like, not just a good-looking guy, but seriously sexy. His bare chest was smooth and tan with perfectly etched abs.

  
“Brianna, I believe I need your assistance here?” Liam reminded her from the ground, and she popped out of her chair.

  
“I’m on it!” She moved to Liam and settled herself on his back gingerly.

 

“Is that all? I barely feel anything,” he said loudly.

 

Brianna’s cheeks flushed pink as Drake looked at her. He gave her a big smile, though she felt it was a little forced.

 

“Maybe I should get on their too,” Drake threatened.

 

Liam began doing push-ups, counting them out loud as Brianna bobbed up and down.

 

“Pfff,” Drake scoffed, crossing his arms. “Too easy.”

 

“And… ten! Done!” Liam called out. Brianna stood up, clapping lightly as the prince pulled his shirt back on, buttoning it slowly. _Thank you for taking your time._ She wasn’t stupid, Liam had obviously put on a little flair for her, but she appreciated it.

  
“Never let it be said that I’ve ever backed out of a bet,” Liam said. His confidence was brimming and he was only slightly out of breath. He reached for the beer and took a deep drink.

 

Drake gave a dry chuckle. “And you lose all the time, so that’s really saying something.”

 

“I must’ve done something very wrong at some point for you to be my best friend.”

 

“I think it’s part of my job to keep you humble. Hard to do with all these gorgeous women chasing after you,” Drake motioned to Brianna.

  
Wait, what? Did Drake just call her gorgeous? She looked over to him, but Drake was laughing with Liam. It felt like he was purposefully ignoring Brianna, but she could have been reading into it. Maybe she was reading into the entire situation.

 

“Speaking of which… now that the races are over, it’s probably time to get back to the social barrage,” Liam said to Brianna. “Next up is the lawn picnic.

 

She frowned. “I guess that means I should get back to where the girls are. Bertrand and Maxwell are probably looking for me.” Brianna felt a little guilty for ditching everyone, but she knew the Beaumont brothers would approve of her extra private time with Prince Liam.

 

Drake looked from her to Liam and sighed.  
  
“I’ll go see where they are.” He moved away and Liam turned to Brianna.

 

“Thank you for coming here, Brianna. I’m not exaggerating when I say that you made my day.” He looked so handsome and dignified looking down at her.

 

“How about a goodbye kiss?” she asked, feeling bold. And a little turned on. The shirtless push-ups worked, and who was she to deny her instincts?

 

Liam’s eyes sparked and he looked around quickly. That would take some getting used to, the secrecy. He leaned in, pressing his warm lips to hers, and she snaked her arms around him, letting her hands rest on his hips. He sighed softly against her lips, stepping back after a second.  
  
“Now it’s been the perfect day,” Brianna said quietly, looking up at him. Her hands rested on his belt, and she was tempted to tuck her thumbs into the waistband of his pants to feel his smooth skin.

 

“Ahem!” Drake cleared his throat as he entered the tent, and they both parted slowly to look at him.  
  
“I just saw Maxwell run out to bring the car around. The ladies are a few tents down, and they’re headed to the lawn picnic. I can show Brianna over there,” he said to Liam.

 

“If you must,” Brianna replied with a joking reluctance.

 

“Goodbye, Brianna. Until we meet again.”

 

“Until then,” she replied, giving a little wave goodbye.

 

* * *

 

The walk to the tents was silent, and there was a weird sort of energy between Brianna and Drake. She wanted to address it, but she wasn’t sure if she was imagining it or if it was even appropriate to bring up. Before she could ponder it for too long, she spotted Olivia’s bright outfit in the tent and heard her throaty voice.

 

“I can’t believe we didn’t get to the see the Prince at all…” she trailed off, heaving a huge sigh.

 

Penelope brightened. “He’s sure to be at the lawn party though!”

 

“I guess I leave you here,” Drake said, pausing. He seemed to want to say more, and she tilted her chin up to catch his eye. He was over a foot taller than her, and she wondered if he could just pick her up with ease if he needed to. Not that he needed to.

  
“Good luck,” he managed a weak smile.  
  
“Sometimes I feel like I’d rather face a rampaging horse than deal with the others…” she said, blowing a dramatic raspberry.

 

“I don’t know,” he said with a shrug, “you didn’t fare so well in front of the horses.”

 

“Ha!” she laughed, nudging him playfully with her shoulder. “I guess that’s true.”

 

He gave her a wry smile, and she bit her lip thoughtfully.

 

“Hey, Drake. Thanks for saving me.”

 

“I know I can be a jerk, but I’d have to be a real low-life to let a horse trample a girl,” he said simply.

  
Brianna was a little disappointed with his response, but she tried to keep her face neutral.

 

“Well. Thanks anyway.”

 

She turned and walked toward the ladies, keeping her pace up until she was able to catch up with them. The energy was tense, and she guessed the absence of Prince Liam was causing some anxiety within the group. Olivia caught her arrival immediately and shot her a condescending smile.

 

“Look who finally showed up. _Fashionably late_ has its limits, you know,” she scolded.

 

“Brianna, I was worried about you What happened?” Hana asked, her convivial face and friendly smile a welcome sight.

 

“Oh, well, I… kind of got lost,” Brianna said lamely.

 

Kiara frowned and tossed her long, silky hair over her shoulder dismissively. “It’s only day two and you can’t even keep up? Tres embarassant.”

 

If only she knew.

 

“I know it can be really overwhelming… how the press swarmed us all when we arrived…” Hana broke off, giving Brianna a shy smile.

 

“Hana, how do you handle all the attention?” she asked, deciding to ignore the other girls.

 

“All of the pressure to be perfect and keep up appearances can be pretty overwhelming. I guess when I’m up there, I try to think of the person that I want everyone to see, and act like that person.” Hana’s face was focused as she thought about her answer, and Brianna broke out into a smile.

 

“Is that all?” It was a good tip. Brianna had learned something similar in university, but it had never seemed so concise and achievable before.

 

“Sweets and massages help too. I’ll have to introduce you to all the pastries from my home…” Hana said with a giggle.

 

“Now that the races are over, what happens next?” Brianna knew the picnic was coming, but she didn’t want to blow her cover as the confused new girl. Not that she thought Hana would mind hearing about her little adventure at the derby, but Olivia or one of the others could still be listening.

 

“Now the real party starts!” Hana replied with a beautiful smile.

 

The real party? Brianna’s smile was immediate. If her afternoon was tame, she couldn’t wait to see what the rest of the day had in store. More shirtless men, perhaps?

  
She could dream.

 

* * *

* * *

 


	6. Chapter Six: You Say Croquet, I Say Cronut

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Queen Regina is hard to impress and can’t seem to crack a smile, but Brianna has pastries on her mind.
> 
> **NSFW: Language**

* * *

* * *

 

Onto the party. The derby was fun, but she was now feeling nervous about impressing Queen Regina. The girls made their way across the lawn on the balls of their feet, trying unsuccessfully not to let their heels sink into the lawn. It was a little comical to Brianna, the way they all pecked their way to the party, but she didn’t see anyone else chuckling about it.

 

“So, we’re on our way to the best party ever?” Brianna asked Hana, lifting her foot aggressively as her heel got caught in the damp soil.

 

“Well, if you’re idea of the best party ever is a tea party with lemonade, finger sandwiches, and butter cookies…”

 

“To be honest, tea parties aren’t really my thing,” Brianna said with a little sigh. “I was hoping by the greatest party ever, there would at least be vodka in the lemonade.”

 

The girls giggled. Brianna was grateful she was at least able to share a beer with Drake and Liam at the derby as alcohol seemed to be difficult to track town during the social season. Not that she needed to drink to deal with the situation, but it didn’t hurt.

 

“I can see how they’re a bit silly. The flowery china, the fussy napkins, the frilly doilies…” Hana trailed off dreamily, and Brianna scoffed teasingly.

 

“Just what is a tea cozy anyway?”

 

“It’s like a sweater for your teapot,” Hana responded quickly, her expression serious.

 

“Are you some kind of tea expert?”

 

“I wouldn’t go that far! But I know a thing or two.” Hana paused, looking up at the sky for a second. “When I was little, I didn’t have that many toys to play with because my parents thought they were frivolous, but I was allowed a tea set so that I could learn to be a proper hostess.”

 

“Naturally,” Brianna said sarcastically, but with a fondness to her voice. This lady was very interesting to her, and she found it fascinating to hear about how she was raised for royalty. It was like pulling the curtain to glimpse at the behind the scenes of all the glamour.

 

“I spent lots of happy afternoons sipping tea with all my favourite guests… Mr. Sock, Miss Lemon Curd, and Princess Snickerdoodle.”

 

“Uh…”

 

“Like I said, I wasn’t allowed to have toys… so I had to get a little creative,” Hana said. Her face had fallen a little, and she had the sweetest little frown.

 

That sounded rough, and she actually felt bad for Hana. Not that Brianna’s childhood was the easiest, but at least her father loved her endlessly and worked to try and give her everything he could while she was growing up. To not be allowed toys was such a foreign concept to her.

 

“I just hope the company today can keep up,” Brianna replied with affection in her voice as she winked at Hana.

 

She brightened and smiled. “Oh, I _much_ prefer your company. You actually talk to me!”

 

“Princess Snickerdoodle was never one for conversation?” she said in mock surprise, raising her eyebrows dramatically.

 

“Not so much.” Hana giggled. “Oh, and don’t forget we’ll be meeting the queen today. That’s sure to be… eventful.”

 

Hana was too polite to outright say anything negative, but that pause gave Brianna enough information to make her a little skeptical.  
  
“Ah yes, the queen. Have you met her before?”

 

“Once, a long time ago, but I doubt she remembers me. Today will be our first official meeting. I must confess, I’m a bit nervous.”

 

It seemed a little harsh, but hearing that actually made Brianna feel a little better about her own thrumming nerves. She wanted to dig for more intel, but they had arrived at an area of the lawn where a line of cars was a few feet away on a worn path, ready to pick up the patrons. A black town car rolled to a stop near Hana, who moved aside gracefully. The driver got out to open the door for her, and she turned to Brianna.

  
“Well, this is me, Brianna. I’ll see you at the lawn party.”

 

“Looking forward to it,” she replied with a smile and a little wave. A familiar limo pulled up in front of Brianna, and the driver came around to open the door for her, just as Hana’s had done.

 

“Hop in!” Maxwell called from inside the limo, waving enthusiastically. She obeyed, and before she had even had a chance to buckle herself in, Maxwell was leaning forward eagerly.

  
“I hope you had a good time!” His eyes were a little wild, but it made her smile.

 

“It was—”

 

“Enough of the pleasantries. We only have time for business,” Bertrand cut in. He clasped his hands in front of him tightly, and his face was scrunched in annoyance. “First of all, was that Lady Hana Lee I saw you with before we pulled up? You two looked friendly.”

 

Hana was an interesting one. If Brianna was brutally honest, the thought that Hana’s polite demeanor could be just an act had crossed her mind more than once. It didn’t quite sit right though, and Brianna had seen the way the other nobles treated Hana. While Olivia was downright rude, it wasn’t like Kiara or Penelope had jumped in to protect Hana or even paid her much attention.

 

“Hana and I are becoming friends,” she agreed, settling on a safe answer.

 

“Hm… interesting. An alliance with her family isn’t the _worst_ thing as long as you don’t let it distract you from the prince,” Bertrand cautioned, watching her closely. She started to argue, but he continued smoothly. “In any case, your focus today should be on impressing the queen. She holds more sway than anyone else at court.”

 

That surprised her. Did that mean if she was successful in winning Prince Liam’s affections, she would have more input than Liam after they wed and Liam eventually became the king?

 

“Even more than the king?” she asked.

 

“Socially, yes. Don’t underestimate her. Thankfully you heeded my recommendation to wear something modern. That’ll curry her favour.”

 

“Yeah, that’ll help, but more than that, you need to get her to like you,” Maxwell interjected. Such a Maxwell thing to say, so simple and understated, but honest.

 

“If I’m going to get her to like me, tell me what she hates,” Brianna said, her fingers tapping on her thigh in anticipation. Her mind was already wrapping around the challenge, and she felt the adrenaline seep into her limbs.

 

“She’s quite… _wary_ of ladies who were not born in Cordonia, so you should watch your step there,” Maxwell said, looking to his brother for confirmation.  
  
“The queen hates it when royal protocol isn’t followed. You should call her ‘Your Majesty’ when you first meet her, and ‘ma’am’ thereafter. Etiquette-wise, don’t forget that you must always stay a step or two behind her when keeping company with her,” Bertrand nodded to himself, as if pleased with his answer.

 

“I know you have a great sense of humour, Brianna—” Maxwell began.

 

“Thank you!” she shot him a dazzling smile.

 

“…but she does not. So if you only have something snarky to say—”

 

“Don’t.” Bertrand’s eyes flashed at Brianna. “Ultimately, she’s concerned about how the prince’s bride will be partly responsible for Cordonia’s future. Keep that in mind when talking to her.”

 

“Got it,” Brianna said. That was good advice, actually, but she didn’t want to give Bertrand the satisfaction of letting him know that.

 

“I hope you do,” Bertrand said, not with kindness or reassurance. Brianna folded her arms in front of her and sighed a little. Could she not get a little credit for what she was doing right? She wanted to impress Bertrand, and she thought she must have been doing better than he anticipated.

 

“You might have performed well with the press, but remember Brianna, it only takes one slip-up to tear apart the reputation you’ve built.”

 

She got it, crystal clear. The rest of the limo ride passed in silence, and Brianna went over what the brothers had told her carefully. She really wanted to impress the queen, but she knew she was coming in at a disadvantage. It made her think of how eager she’d been to impress those bimbos that Hunter constantly pushed on her, the endless cycle of seeking approval.

 

* * *

* * *

 

_“Really, it’s just such a shame that you were raised motherless. It’s not always… becoming for a lady to attempt to fit in with these people when she hasn’t had that delicate relationship, that ever blossoming role model.”_

_Brianna nodded, plastering on an icy smile as she fought the feeling of anger bubbling in her chest. These women at this stupid benefit gala had no idea who Brianna was, or what her life had been like growing up without her mother… and to throw it in her face like this? On top of it all, the woman who was speaking was just barely in her mid-twenties and every inch of her was perfectly groomed, including the gaudy diamond engagement ring that must have cost as much as Brianna’s apartment. It didn’t look like she had suffered much in life, or even recognized how hurtful those words were._

_She looked to Hunter for guidance, for him to step in. It was her first real event—they had hosted a dinner party, but that was different—and she needed him. He looked at her, his eyes flashing angrily. He pinched her arm and she gasped, turning it into a little cough. Hunter must be upset that she wasn’t answering right away, but what kind of response was he hoping she would give?_

_  
“So sorry, excuse me,” Brianna said softly, sipping from her champagne. “I’ve never known my mother, so I suppose…”_

_Apparently, that was the wrong thing to say. The woman looked shocked, her eyes darting to Hunter immediately. Brianna knew that look. It was pure judgement, and it read: ‘SHE DOES NOT BELONG.’ Hunter excused them and grabbed Brianna’s arm roughly, pulling her through rented museum and into a hallway. In the dim lighting, away from the noise of the party, he was pure anger._  


_She swallowed nervously, ready to accept her punishment for failing her studies. Hunter deserved better than her, but she’d keep trying. If he would let her._

 

* * *

* * *

 

 

The limo rolled up to the picnic, which was on a lush lawn decorated with huge, billowing white tents. The arrival grounded Brianna, brought her back to the present. She was in Cordonia, not New York. Picturesque wooden chairs and white clothed tables were scattered throughout, and there were bundles of white and pink flowers everywhere. The air smelled lightly of flowers and crisp laundry.

 

As always, the driver let her out. Maxwell took her arm and helped her to stand, knees together.

 

“Wow, this looks like a million-dollar picnic,” she remarked, eyeing up a statue that seemed to be made of silver, glowing in the sunlight, as floral arrangements exploded at the base.

 

“It’s not polite to discuss the price, but you’re probably not far off,” Bertrand told her quietly.

 

“Now, Brianna, go stand over there with the rest of the ladies in the receiving line…” he continued, his voice a little louder.

 

Brianna obeyed, moving to stand next to Hana who greeted her with a warm smile.

  
“Welcome to the tea party,” she greeted, her voice hinting at a teasing tone from their previous conversation.

 

“Cutting it awfully close there…” Olivia said, not even bothering to turn to the latest arrival. Brianna followed Olivia’s unwavering gaze and spotted the herald announcing Queen Regina of Cordonia. She was taller than Brianna imagined, with silvery blonde hair that was perfectly coiffed around her shoulders. Her outfit was dignified and stylish in grey and swirling silver, and her voice was controlled but commanding as she looked out on the picnic and addressed the guests.

 

“Welcome, all. I’m so delighted you could join us this afternoon.”

 

The queen stepped through the crowd, greeting the various guests. There was a woman to the queen’s left who seemed to be escorting her. She was a petite little thing with short blonde hair, and Brianna was instantly reminded of Tinkerbelle. Hana moved closer to Brianna.

 

“I wonder who that lady with the queen is,” she whispered, and Brianna frowned. If Hana didn’t recognize the woman, Brianna never would.

  
“Hmmm… your guess is as good as mine,” Brianna whispered back, eyeing the stranger.

 

“You dolts.” Olivia rolled her eyes, not bothering to whisper. “That’s _Countess Madeleine of Fydelia,_ and if you haven’t heard of her, then you really are behind the times.”

 

Penelope nodded, her face lit up with scandalous gossip. “Her name was all over the tabloid at one point. She was betrothed to the former crown prince until he abdicated.”

 

“It was particularly embarrassing for her to be thrown over like that. She was the one who was chosen during that social season, after all. To go through all that and not be royal…” Kiara trailed off and shook her head, as if the thought was too much to bear. Brianna shifted her weight as the thought of going through this social season, being chosen, and having it crumble away took over her mind.

  
“Did they not stay together even though he abdicated?” Brianna asked, looking around to the women. It seemed like it would have stung to be put through the paces of every move of yours being analyzed and then to have the promise of royalty yanked away, but it would still be worth it to fall in love. Brianna knew it wasn’t all about love, but she was still a foreign concept that the prince could pick someone he didn’t have feelings for.

 

The women stared back at her blankly, and Kiara eyed Brianna carefully. “C’est gentil,” Kiara purred softly. “Lady Brianna still does not understand.”

 

Brianna narrowed her eyes. “Yeah, it’s crazy to think that there could be emotions in this whole process.”

 

With an air of superiority, Olivia shook her head and sighed dramatically. “Poor thing must be the queen’s guest as a consolation prize.”

 

Brianna looked to Madeleine once more. She didn’t think that was likely, but she figured the noble ladies knew more about the situation than she did. Brianna watched the pair move their way down the prince’s suitors. The queen was polite and professional while Madeleine moved behind her, her emerald dress fluttering around her. Finally, the queen stopped in front of Brianna, and she felt her heartbeat quicken. She stepped forward and dipped into a curtsy.

 

“It’s an honour to meet you, Your Majesty.”

 

“Ma’am, this is the one I was telling you about,” Madeleine spoke quietly, catching Brianna’s eye. That didn’t set will with Brianna, but she kept her face neutral and smiled politely.

 

“A pleasure to meet you, Lady Brianna Richardson. The press speaks well of you. It takes great effort to manage one’s image so responsibly,” Regina’s face was warm with approval, and Brianna let herself smile a little wider. “And you’ve selected the appropriate attire for the event. They’re touting you as ‘The American’, the foreigner trying to win our prince’s hand. I hope your origin of birth won’t keep you from committing to Cordonia should you become queen.” The queen eyed Brianna carefully.

 

“Of course not, ma’am. I’d take my commitment very seriously.” Brianna wanted to say more about how being raised in New York gave her years of life experience that would be unique to her, like earning her degree which allowed her to hold herself so well in front of the press, but she kept it simple. She figured there would be time later to say those things—she didn’t want to come across aggressively.

  
“Lady Brianna, tell me, what do you think is the best quality for a ruler to have?” Queen Regina’s eyes were trained on Brianna’s carefully, and she understood what Bertrand meant about the queen’s social sway. There was a presence behind her small stature that commanded all those around her.

 

“The best quality is a sense of duty. Loyalty to the kingdom you represent and the people you serve will carry you through any crisis,” Brianna replied smoothly. _That, and fancy hats._

 

“Good answer.”  
  
“Thank you, ma’am.”

  
“Governance is not to be taken lightly. You will be bombarded daily by a hundred little decisions. Few will be glamorous, and many will weigh on you. Loyalty to the kingdom and to the people must guide your every decision.”

 

“Right,” Brianna nodded seriously. This was a lot, but she knew that the queen would be extra skeptical of Brianna’s commitment to Cordonia. It was only fair for the queen to ask these pressing questions of the ladies. She had to support Liam’s decision, and she couldn’t do that without understanding where they were coming from, and their political opinions.

 

“As heads of state, we have a responsibility to the people. The press acts as their eyes. We must always portray a sense of calm and dignity. If the rules appear in control, then everyone will be reassured. Hysteria benefits nobody. Do you agree?”

 

Brianna hid a smile. One of her professors used to say the same thing, ‘hysteria benefits nobody’, and brought back memories.

  
“Ma’am, I believe a stoic leader makes for stoic people.”

 

“Precisely. We must set the example, which is why we must not enable the scandal hunting impulses of the press.” Queen Regina arched an eyebrow almost imperceptibly. Brianna knew she had surpassed the queen’s expectations, but she wasn’t sure how low they had been to start with.

  
Madeleine cleared her throat in the most delicate way Brianna had ever heard. “Ma’am, I hate to interrupt, but it’s time to begin the game.”

 

“Yes, thank you for reminding me.” Queen Regina stepped back and raised her voice slightly. “Everyone, please, follow me. It’s time to begin the ceremonial croquet match.”

 

 _Croquet? Of course._ Brianna got in line as the queen led the ladies in a procession across the lawn. They must have all been a sight, trying to balance themselves so they didn’t trip on the unstable ground and keeping their heels out of the grass. Her own sky high heels were problematic, but she took little tiny steps to try and make her way gracefully across the lawn.  
  
“Know that one of you will be the next queen, and I expect you to represent Cordonia well. Madeleine here has been the embodiment of dignity and devotion. It is my hope that you may all learn from her example,” Queen Regina said.

  
“Thank you, ma’am,” Madeleine chirped. She was glowing with pride, but Brianna couldn’t fault her for that.

 

The procession came up to a bend. Queen Regina began to turn, threatening to bump into Brianna. She moved backward smoothly to allow the queen to stand in front as she turned. Regina smiled a little, barely catching Brianna’s eye.

 

_Wait… was that a test?_

 

Brianna flushed with pride at passing the queen’s little test. This woman was sharp, very intelligent, and it made Brianna see a flash of what she could be in the royal role. Across the lawn, croquet hoops had been set up and there was a buzz of energy in the air. Brianna saw Prince Liam waiting near the equipment as the procession approached, greeting each lady as they passed. Brianna moved closer and held out her hand. Liam grabbed it carefully, brushing his lips over her knuckles. It made her think of the prince shirtless doing push ups, and she felt her cheeks heat up. Liam’s voice dropped, but she could hear his enthusiasm.

 

“Lady Brianna, I’m so pleased to see you.”

 

“Prince Liam. It’s nice to see you again too,” she replied with a curtsy.

  
“My lady.”

 

Brianna smiled as she brushed past him and focused her attention on the queen.

 

“Custom has it that the queen and the prince play a round of croquet with two of the season’s suitors. I have chosen Madeleine as my partner.”

 

Brianna’s head swiveled as the crowd murmured in amusement and surprise. She heard a few whispered swears from the noble ladies and bit her cheek to keep from laughing at their shock. They reminded her of a flock of chickens or something, all clucking away at the news.  
  
“She’s a suitor?” Sweet but a little oblivious… likely Penelope.  
  
“Pas bon!” That one had to be Kiara.

 

“That scheming little…” Olivia. Obviously.

 

Madeleine’s smile was so proud and content as she stood beside the queen. Her eyes darted to each of the noble ladies, as if daring them to speak up. For a petite little thing, she had an unbelievable amount of spunk.

 

Smoothly, Prince Liam cut in. “As for myself, I shall choose Lady Brianna.”

 

Olivia laughed unkindly. “Brianna? But—”

 

“Shhh,” Penelope interrupted, raising a finger to her lips, “the prince has made his choice.”

 

 

Brianna stepped forward and plastered on a smile as she tried not to panic. Liam led her to grab her mallet as the group split into their two teams and moved to the beginning of the circuit.

 

“Looks like we found another way to steal a few moments,” Liam said under his breath as he led her across the lawn.  
  
“Hey, I don’t want to cause you alarm or anything, but I don’t know how to play croquet,” she replied, swallowing thickly.

 

“No worries. Just follow my lead.” His grin was infectious. “Hit your ball through the same hoop as mine, and you’ll be fine.”

 

“Just so we’re clear, hoops are the little arch-shaped things in the ground, right?” she said with a little laugh, though she wasn’t entirely joking.

  
Liam winked at her. “Right. Come on, we’re up.” He smoothly knocked his ball through the hoop in the time it took her to get situated to take her shot. Her palms were a little sweaty as she gripped at the mallet. She knocked the ball gently and was delighted to see it move through the hoop.

  
“Nice swing,” he said with a proud smile. It made her move through the rest of the game lightly—earning his praise was amazing. The queen and Madeleine remained deep in conversation the whole game, and she saw an opportunity to sneak in when Liam took his turn near the end of the game. She moved closer to them, clearing her throat politely.

  
“Am I interrupting anything?”

 

“No, we were simply discussing how to best undress when meeting with the ministers during the coucher.”

 

Brianna couldn’t help her mouth from popping open in surprise. She looked from Madeleine to Regina. “We do _what_ now?”

The queen let out a tinkling little giggle as she waved her hand dismissively, almost as if her company was just too much. “Oh, goodness, Madeleine. You’re too funny.”

 

_So, she doesn’t have a good sense of humour?_

 

“Forgive me, Brianna, it was only a joke. I hope you won’t begrudge us a small laugh at your expense,” Madeleine said with a polished smile.

 

“Now, let’s give Brianna the opportunity to speak her mind. Tell me your thoughts on governance, my dear,” Regina spoke smoothly, her attention focused on Brianna immediately.

  
“Governance is an art lost on most,” she replied carefully, hoping that would be a respectable answer.

 

“A sad truth,” Regina nodded stoically.

 

“Indeed,” Brianna mimicked Queen Regina’s solemn expression.

  
Liam called Brianna over to the end of the circuit, and she moved across the lawn quickly. Every time she spoke to the queen, it made her spine prickle in anxiety and anticipation. Most of the nobles she could show a bit of her feisty side too and come across as simply charming, but she knew the stakes were impossibly high with Regina.

 

“My apologies for interrupting your conversation, but I believe it’s your turn,” he said politely, touching her arm and leaning in a little closer. “No pressure or anything, but if you hit the peg in the center, we’ll win the game.” She followed his gaze and laughed.

 

“That’s an easy shot! I can definitely make that.”

 

Her mind was nagging and she focused for a second. The Beaumont brothers had told her to impress the queen, but would beating her at the game earn respect, or would that be rude? There wasn’t enough time to process her thoughts before Liam as nudging her so gently.

 

“You’re up!” he said.

 

She adjusted herself, regripping the mallet and exhaling. Her competitive side wouldn’t let her lose, so she knocked the ball, hitting the peg and claiming the win for her and Liam. He shouted happily, in the most dignified way possible.

 

“I believe that means victory is ours,” he told the opposing team, his perfect teeth on display proudly.

 

Queen Regina looked to Brianna, her eyes sparkling. “I’m glad you had the guts to finish the game. Too many ladies have thrown the game on purpose to impress me. That’s why I decided to make it a _point_ to lose this match.”

 

“You mean…?” Brianna shook her head slightly, a dazed smile spreading.

 

“It was a test,” she confirmed, “and you passed. I’m sure we’ll have times in the future where we’ll find ourselves on opposing sides. Next time, though, I expect we won’t be simply playing croquet... and I won’t be holding back.”

 _Damn._ Brianna was impressed, if not a little scared, and she followed the queen’s lead in laying their mallets down by the center peg.

 

“It was a pleasure to make you acquaintance, Lady Richardson. You’ve shown yourself to be unlike many of the ladies at court, which is no small feat in my eyes.”

 

Brianna gave the queen a sincere smile, feeling her chest swell with pride. “You honour me, ma’am.”

  
Queen Regina gave her a curt nod before turning to the other ladies. “Thank you all for coming, and I look forward to seeing you at the next event.” She and Madeleine moved behind a few bodyguards while the rest of the ladies, including Brianna, dispersed to the clothed tables and wooden chairs. Liam followed Brianna and as they settled at a table, Hana approached.

  
“Brianna, Prince Liam, that was well played,” she said.

 

“Thank you, Hana. Won’t you sit with us?” Liam greeted her warmly.

 

“I’d love to!” she giggled, her laughter light and pleasant as she tucked herself into the chair.

 

Her posture was prim and proper, the picture of good etiquette, and Brianna did her best to emulate it. Soon the servants brought around piping hot tea, the steam swirling in the midday air, cream, and little sandwiches. Maxwell and Drake made their way to the table, and as Drake settled, Maxwell clapped once and rubbed his hands together.

 

“Hey! We finally get to eat!” Maxwell plucked a sandwich off the tray, popping it in his mouth in one bite.

  
“If you can call this eating,” Drake scoffed, nudging the tray of sandwiches away from him.

 

“Drake, you _would_ complain about free gourmet food,” Brianna said, shaking her head. She helped herself to some tea, stirring in the thick cream.

 

“I’m just saying that I’m simple,” he shot back with an easy smile.

 

“I don’t think anyone would argue with that,” she agreed. Drake shook his head, but she could see the corners of his lips turning up.

 

“What I mean is, give me a ninety-nine-cent burger any day over some escargot aioli.”

 

Hana audibly gasped, turning to Drake. “Escargot aioli? But how would you…?”

  
Drake’s smile faded. “It was just a joke, Hana.”

 

“Oh.”

 

Maxwell coughed, making the scene even more awkward. “Anyway, onto the big question! Brianna, do you think you impressed the queen?”

 

Brianna bit her lip, looking skyward as all eyes at the table focused on her.  
  
“Welll…” she began shyly, breaking out into a grin. “I think I impressed her.”

 

“Fantastic!” Maxwell said loudly, pretending to dab at his eyes. “It’s like watching a bird learn to fly on its own.”

 

“Liam, do you think the queen approves of me?”

 

He kept his face neutral, but allowed a small nod. “Yes, I think you performed quite gracefully in front of her.”

  
“Enough about Brianna. All the little sandwiches are gone, and I’m still starving,” Drake sighed heavily. Brianna let out a snort of laughter, and he looked at her, a pleasant surprise registering on his face.

 

“Not to worry, there’s more food waiting for us back at the palace,” Maxwell said, raising his hand for a high-five. Everyone left him hanging, so Brianna rolled her eyes playfully and reached over the table, smacking his hand loudly. Maxwell flashed her a thumbs-up.

  
“I could really go for a cronut right now,” Brianna said without much thought.

  
“A _what_?” Liam asked, turning to her with heavily furrowed brows. She wanted to lean over and smooth the wrinkles with her thumb but resisted.

 

“I think you mean a donut, Brianna,” Hana corrected politely.

 

Brianna looked to the table. Only Drake seemed slightly amused. “Wait, you haven’t heard of cronuts before?” she asked, raising her hand to her chest in dramatic shock.

 

“Can’t say that I have,” Maxwell said.

 

“Really?” she shook her head. “Okay, guys, we have a critical problem to fix. None of you have had cronuts.”  
  
Maxwell caught her eye skeptically, an uncharacteristic frown on his face. “Please tell me it doesn’t have anything to do with crows.”

  
“It’s the sumptuous inside of a croissant mixed with the glazed outside of a donut. It’s one of the best pastries ever invented,” she explained, a stupid smile on her face as she remembered the decadent, overly sweet treat.

 

“It sounds…” Maxwell looked around. “ _American_ ,” he said finally.

 

“From New York with love! We have to get some,” Brianna exclaimed, her energy catching on.

 

“That sounds like quite an adventure,” Liam agreed. Quickly, his face fell. “I don’t think the schedule will allow it.”

 

Brianna brought her fingers to her chin, tapping them in thought. “Then how about a little jail break tonight? Think we can sneak out of the palace and go on a cronut run? I’m pretty sure I saw them in a window at a nearby bakery while we were driving here.”

 

“That _does_ sound like fun…” Hana said wistfully.

 

“Very tempting. Are you sure you want to do this, Brianna?” Liam asked. She was touched at how… well, gentlemanly he was. His hand moved to touch her thigh ever so briefly under the clothed table. She met his eyes with a smile, and turned to the table.

  
“Guys! Meet me out front once it gets dark. It’s time to have an adventure!” she exclaimed.  
  
“I’m with Brianna,” Liam agreed, moving his hand but giving her an excited chortle.

 

“Me too!” Maxwell bellowed.

  
“Finally, we’ll have some fun away from the palace,” Drake said.

 

Hana nodded. “New food sounds like a treat,” she agreed, sipping from her tea cup.

 

“It’s on then!” Brianna laughed, bringing the tea to her lips and blowing gently on it.

 

* * *

 

 

Brianna was finishing getting ready for cronuts, but she wasn’t sure what exactly she should wear. She tried on her pale blue dress that she initially packed, but it didn’t seem quite right. With a little sigh she reapplied a layer of mascara and fluffed her hair out. It was wavy after been in the updo all day, but thought it looked nice—if a little casual. Her makeup was still on from the event earlier, but she took off the bold lip colour. Finally, she settled on a dark wash pair of jeans, and a simple black tank top. It felt a little plan so she slipped on her favourite black heels and shrugged on a fitted zip-up sweater of the softest dove grey material.

 

She made her way outside, exhaling happily at the prospect of the sneaky freedom. Drake, Hana, and Maxwell were waiting for her. As she approached, Maxwell pulled her into an unexpected, but kind, hug.

 

“Prince Liam is taking a while,” he said solemnly, nodding as he looked at the palace.

 

The corner of Drake’s lip tugged up in a wry sort of amusement. “He’s the prince. We’ll be lucky if he can sneak out at all.”

 

“There he is!” Hana cut in brightly, raising on her toes slightly. If she hadn’t been so well groomed, Brianna would have bet that Hana would have pointed at him in excitement, just in case the group missed him. _As if._ He was so impossibly handsome, and his presence just commanded the room… or space, if there were no walls.

 

“You made it!” Brianna greeted him happily, unable to stop her smile.

 

“It’s been a while since I’ve had to sneak out my own bedroom window… I nearly fell out into the rose bushes, but I stand before you unscathed,” he said dramatically. Drake snickered as Maxwell reached out for a high five.

 

“And now the real adventure begins!” Brianna teased, wiggling her eyebrows. Maxwell laughed heartily and joined in.

  
Liam led the way and forced them to stop, but they kept giggling and teasing Liam about his bravery as they made their way down the beach. The thought of him climbing out of his own window was so charming to Brianna, and she held the memory close as they made their way to the store. It wasn’t a long walk, and the night air kept them cool, but Brianna was feeling anxious for some reason.  
  
“Is it just me, or is it more fun to be out at night when you’re also breaking the rules?” Maxwell’s devilish grin said everything.

 

“It’s more fun when you know you’re headed to something delicious,” Hana corrected.

 

Liam exhaled happily. “After a day spent answering to the press and to the queen, this is the sweetest freedom.”

 

“And it’s about to get sweeter,” Brianna sang, motioning to the pastry shop. Maxwell ran in front of her and threw open the door. She thought he would hold it open for the group, but in the pursuit of food, he ran in instead. Drake rolled his eyes and held the door for everyone as Maxwell stepped forward, his chest puffed out importantly.

 

“We need all of your finest cronuts, please!” he exclaimed, taking on a faux dignified tone.

  
“I think you’re supposed to go to the counter, not just shout from the doorway,” Hana pointed out kindly, tucking her hair behind her ear and looking around. It could have passed as a joke, but Brianna knew she was serious.

  
“Like normal people,” Drake added, crossing his arms.

“I’ll handle this. You guys take a seat,” Brianna offered, stepping up to the counter. She ordered half a dozen cronuts and waited for the cashier to pick the best ones from their selection. Brianna plunked the tray down and took the free seat between Drake and Liam. She was a little clumsy in her heels after such a long day, and she misjudged the depth to the seat. Her leg knocked against Drake’s, and he caught her eye.

  
“Watch it, Richardson. You’re on my side.”

 

“Sorry, did I miss the part where you own this bakery?” she shot back, levelling him with an intense gaze.

 

“You don’t let anything go, do you?” he asked, his eyes serious. His voice was quieter than normal, and she met his volume. It was weird to share a private moment at a table of her peers.

 

“Nope.”

There was a sizzling tension between them, and she wasn’t sure what to make of him. His lips twitched and finally broke out into a stupid grin. Was he holding that back?

 

“You’re going to be trouble. I can tell,” he said, his voice still low.

  
“Well, these look delicious,” Liam announced happily, giving the tray a careful evaluation. Brianna smiled at him, wondering vaguely if he was speaking a little too loudly. Was he trying to interrupt them, or was she just overanalyzing it?

 

“What’s more important is how they taste,” Dark said with a serious nod. “Let me at ‘em.”  
  
Everyone reached in and grabbed a cronut, no one faster than Maxwell. Brianna held up a hand to stop him from scarfing it down too quickly. “All together?” she suggested with a cocked eyebrow.

 

Liam lowered his voice dramatically. “One.” Though it was supposed to be goofy, it sent little goosebumps down Brianna’s arms.

 

“Two…” Hana said, eyeing her cronut questioningly.

 

“Th—” Drake was interrupted by Maxwell shouting through a mouthful of pastry.

  
“Delicious,” he declared, his eyes sparkling.

 

“Maxwell!” Drake scolded him, holding his cronut with a surprisingly delicate touch.

 

“I regret nothing,” Maxwell taunted Drake, leaning in close. He broke out in laughter and took another bite. “Mmmmmmmm… Flaky crust, glazed cloud of flavor…”

 

Brianna’s mouth watered as he described the pastry, so she allowed herself a dainty bite. Eating in front of the prince seemed to be a trap, but after her first bite, she couldn’t resist getting a little messy as she enjoyed the wonderfully flaky, glazed cronut.

 

“I really must take some of these back home. I’ve never tasted anything so light and fluffy and sweet.” Hana licked her thumb after wiping it on a napkin.

 

Liam nodded in agreement, taking a dignified bite. “This rivals the finest pastries from the palace chefs. Even Drake is smiling,” he teased.

 

The group looked to Drake at the same time, who shrugged and offered a boyish, lopsided smile. “What? I like a good dessert. Who doesn’t?”

 

“The last time I had something _this_ good, Bertrand hired a pastry chef from a Michelin-starred restaurant to make his birthday cake.”

 

The group munched happily on their cronuts—Maxwell was even humming to himself as he chewed—when Brianna stopped.  
  
“Wait a second. Maxwell, are you saying that Bertrand used to actually have fun?” she asked, tilting her head to the side playfully.

 

“Heh!” Maxwell let out a surprised laugh. “Yeah, he wasn’t always like he is now.”

 

“There was a time when Bertrand would’ve been here with us tonight,” Liam agreed.

 

“Really?” Brianna’s brow furrowed seriously. It wasn’t that she didn’t believe them, it was just so hard to picture the Bertrand that she knew as laughing and digging into cronuts with them all.

 

“Yes. We were all close, once. But he’s grown distant in the past few years…” Liam trailed off, clearing his throat diplomatically.

 

“Aw, Bertrand’s gonna be fine! He’s just soothing some things out. You know what? I’ll bring him back a cronut.” Maxwell said. He pushed back his chair, licking his fingers to emphasize his point.

 

“That’s sweet of you,” Hana said.

 

“It’s a noble thought,” Drake agreed, a little sparkle in his eye. “We’ll see if that cronut actually makes it back to the palace.”

 

Brianna caught his eye and bit her lip to keep from laughing. Something passed over Drake’s face, almost like he was going to laugh, but it passed.

  
With a dramatic frown, Maxwell stood. “I hope you’re not implying I’d _eat_ my brother’s cronut.”

 

“Wouldn’t you?” Drake asked simply.

 

Maxwell paused on his way to the counter. He stood still for a moment, and looked back with a shrug. “Well, it’s the thought that counts anyway, right?”

 

“I can’t believe mine’s gone already. It was delicious!” Hana gushed.

 

“What did I tell you? Have faith in me,” Brianna said, winking at her friend.

 

“That was a treat! Thanks, Brianna,” Maxwell said, holding a bag that looked like it held more than one cronut in it.

 

“We should sneak out more often,” Drake said, that crooked grin back on his face.

 

“I wish I could,” Liam said, and while his words were tinged with regret, his face was happy. Brianna sense that he liked the responsibility that came with his role because he likely forgot how much he missed out on. If his brother had abdicated, he might have had a different life set out for himself before the news changed everything.

 

The thought sat heavy on her mind as they all chatted and ordered another set of cronuts—Liam, Hana, and Brianna all shared one last one, but Drake and Maxwell were happy to have one more each.

 

Brianna was telling Drake and Liam a story about her waitressing days when she noticed Drake’s eyes darkening. She faltered in her story, catching his eye. They weren’t quite on hers, and instead he looked like he was gazing at… her lips?

 

“Richardson, you’ve got…” he motioned to her lips, and her eyes widened in understanding.

 

“Oh! Thank you,” she said, reaching for a napkin. Liam beat her to it and met her eyes seriously, holding the napkin out as if asking permission. She smiled gently, and he wiped her mouth, letting his fingers graze her skin. It was intimate, and the mood shifted instantly.

 

Drake let out a rough cough, and the spell was broken. Hana looked at the clock, gasping a little. She really was too pure for her own good.

 

“Wow, it’s gotten late…” she said sadly.

 

“We should be getting back,” Liam agreed, standing and offering his hand to Brianna. She took it gratefully and noticed that Maxwell offered his hand to Hana. _What gentlemen._

“Don’t want the kingdom to panic over a missing prince?” she laughed, pushing her chair back in.

 

“Precisely. I’ve already been gone for some time.” Liam’s tone was serious, and she couldn’t help her face from pulling into a frown.

 

“Historians will tell of the day when Cordonia nearly collapsed because the prince went out for cronuts,” Drake said understatedly. Brianna’s face broke out into a smile. She knew that Liam had to act a certain way at all times, but it refreshing when Drake got her dry humour.

 

“Okay, maybe it’s not that bad, but we should still head back to the palace.”

 

* * *

 

The sidewalk was speckled with sand, and the group’s footsteps seemed to echo in the silence of the evening. Out of the corner of her eye, Brianna spotted a shadowy figure. It startled her, and she moved to the side quickly, letting out a bit of a squeak in surprise. The man held his hands up, as if to say ‘I’m not a threat’ and took a step closer. The streetlight shined on his face, and Liam looked at the man in surprise.

 

“Bastien? What are you doing here?” he asked, his eyebrows wrinkling his forehead in surprise.

 

“I couldn’t let you go out without security, Prince Liam,” Bastien responded smoothly, his lips twitching.

 

“But how did you even know?” Liam’s shoulders slumped slightly. That would be frustrating, Brianna thought, to think you were able to sneak away for a night and realize that wasn’t even true.

 

“Please, Your Highness,” Bastien chuckled happily. “I was assigned to you brother before this. I’ve seen every trick in the book.”

 

“I’m sorry to have troubled you,” Liam said, looking down in embarrassment. It was odd to see him show even a hint of weakness. Brianna rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly.

 

Bastien was grinning. “Like I said, I was assigned to your brother. Compared to him, you’re hardly any trouble at all. But…” he frowned thoughtfully.

 

“But we should be getting back,” Liam finished, standing straight again. Bastien nodded, looking behind the group.

 

“You go on ahead. I’ll trail behind and keep an eye on things.”

 

“Thank you, Bastien.”

 

“My pleasure.”

 

Everyone turned and started down the boardwalk, back towards the palace. Hana was walking beside Brianna, but she nudged Hana gently and motioned toward the prince. She mouthed ‘are you sure’ and Brianna nodded, bumping her again. Truthfully, Brianna had felt she had monopolized the prince’s time enough for the day, and this _was_ a competition. She decided to trail behind a little as Hana greeted Liam.

 

Drake was lingering, and when Brianna slowed down, she fell in step with him. They shared a comfortable silence until Drake spoke.

 

“Well, you win this round, Richardson.”  
  
“Don’t tell me that even big, bad Drake thinks that cronuts are worth the hype.” She bumped into his shoulder gently, playfully, but he bristled at her touch. Brianna wanted to scream. It seemed that they were building some sort of a friendship, or an attempt at one, but then Drake would do something like that and it would make her second guess everything.

 

“I can admit when someone else is right,” Drake replied. His tone was serious, but when she turned her face to see his expression, he was smiling. “It’s one of my charms.”  
  
“I didn’t know you had any. Charms, I mean,” she deadpanned.

 

“Hah. You’re kind of funny, you know that?”

 

Brianna kept her eyes trained on his face, but he was still smiling. She swallowed nervously. There was a fondness in his voice.

 

“Drake… did you actually compliment me?”

 

He scoffed, meeting her eyes. “Don’t let it go to your head.”

 

Brianna couldn’t help the grin that spread across her face. She held her hands out in front of her, as if visualizing a dream. “Let me just memorize the taste…mmhmmm… definitely a sour flavor, but mixed with… a hint of regret.”

 

“Laugh it up,” he sighed, but his lips were curved.

 

“And with a strong, bitter aftertaste.”

 

“Look at this,” Drake motioned to the boardwalk lazily. “Everything’s better away from the palace. No stiff etiquette, no having to watch your back all the time. We can be ourselves out here.”

 

She tilted her chin up to look at the stars briefly. This again. She understood why he might say these things, but she had to wonder if something had happened that made him feel so strongly about it. The warnings were appreciated, but it was clear Brianna didn’t feel the same way that he did about the demands of court and the dangers.

 

“Are you saying you can be less negative?” she asked. She didn’t mean it to be such a harsh question, but Drake seemed to take it in stride. He shook his head, smiling in disbelief.

  
“I’m saying you’re more fun when you’re not trying to play princess.”

 

“I’m not trying to play anything… it’s just… well, it’s nice to fit in sometimes,” she defended herself, crossing her arms.  
  
“I know. Just be you, Richardson. Screw ‘em if they don’t like it.”

 

Brianna raised an eyebrow questioningly at him.

 

“Hey!”

 

Maxwell’s shout startled her.

  
“You two are falling behind! Catch up or we’ll leave you!” Maxwell warned, motioning for them to speed up.

 

“Looks like we should catch up to them,” Drake said, keeping his slower pace. “Shame, I was enjoying myself.”

 

“You can have fun after all? Call the press, I’ve made an earth-shattering discovery.”

 

“It’s not really a discovery. You were just blind to it the whole time. You’re like the last person to discover the Earth is round.”

This man was unbelievable. She expected him to roll his eyes and dismiss her, but he always pushed back. She liked the challenge.

 

“Hey!” she exclaimed, but Drake was already breaking into a little jog.

 

“Last Brianna to the group owes me a drink!” he called over his shoulder. She did an awkward little run in her heels, laughing with the group. The moonlight hit their faces, capturing their carefree fun in this exact moment.

 

* * *

 

 

Laying in bed that night, she saw Liam every time she closed her eyes, his careful gaze, the way he coaxed her into succeeding in front of the queen. He was so strong and sure, she envied the way he exuded confidence and expertise. Every so often, just as she was drifting off to sleep, Drake’s lopsided smile popped into her mind. Or the way his wry gaze seemed to see through her best defenses. He was a risk, he challenged her.

  
What feelings did she have? There was an immediate attraction to both of them. And… well, if she was truly honest with herself, other feelings were developing. For both of them.

_Fuck._

* * *

 

The next morning, a weird noise woke her up. She sat up groggily, yawning and rubbing at her eyes. “Hold on,” she mumbled, staggering out of bed. Brianna found last night’s jeans and black top and slipped them on, opening to door to see Bertrand and Maxwell.

  
“Rise and shine, Briana!” Maxwell sang.

 

“…Nnngh?” she managed, trying to clear her throat. It was too early for this, especially considering their midnight breakout.

 

Bertrand’s eyebrow arched imperceptibly. “I’ll assume that was the appropriate morning greeting followed by the proper use of my title.”

 

“Why—” she started to talk but was interrupted by a huge yawn. Brianna dabbed at her eyes. “Why are you both here so early? And how are you so cheerful?”

 

Maxwell was practically bouncing on his feet with energy.

 

“We just heard where the next social event will be, and if we’re going to arrive there with everyone else, we should get packed. It’s going to be fuuuuuuun!” he sang out. Loudly. She winced in response, but she had to chuckle. Maxwell’s excitement was infectious.

 

“Where are we going?”

 

“To the northern region of Cordonia, to the snow!” Maxwell said, clapping a few times. She looked to Bertrand for more clarification.

 

“Snow? I love snow!” Brianna let out an excited squeak. Some of her favourite New York days were when the energy in the city was mellowed out with a spattering of snow. Her and her father would build snowmen—albeit tiny ones—and they’d go to this little bookstore on the corner with a fireplace and bring a thermos of hot chocolate… those memories made her heart ache in melancholy.

 

“I wouldn’t celebrate so soon,” Bertrand warned. “The family that’s hosting up there, the palace we’re staying at, belongs to the Lythikos duchy…

 

“That means?” she asked hesitantly. She knew it was Olivia’s duchy, but it didn’t seem like that was cause for concern.

 

“That you’re about to go straight into Olivia’s home territory. If you want to get time with Prince Liam, you’re going to have to beat her at her own game.”

 

A beat of silence passed where the energetic vibe dampened.

 

“Crap.”

 

* * *

* * *

 


	7. Chapter Seven: Racing to Romance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summary: Brianna learns more about the handsome commoner and her feelings for him, then finds a real, true friendship with a loyal lady.

* * *

* * *

 

The morning was busy as everyone at the palace seemed to be packing for the upcoming travel day. Brianna was able to sneak a nap on Maxwell’s shoulder on the plane, grateful that she was able to travel with just him and not have to worry about impressing any of her suitors. _Her suitor. Just the one. Prince Liam._

 

After the plane ride, she met Hana, Drake, and Maxwell at the car rental lot and they squeezed into a Jeep Wrangler. Maxwell drove the entire way, cranking up the music so the rest of the group wasn’t able to talk much. She tried to turn the music down every few minutes (she felt it was the responsibility of the shotgun passenger), but Maxwell seemed to increase it even more. He combatted her valiant attempts well.

 

They made their way into the deep wilderness, and it was truly a picture of beauty. “Wow,” Brianna breathed out in wonder, her breath puffing in front of her face. The mountains surrounded them and there were bunches of evergreen trees frosted in thick, pristine snow. Maxwell coaxed the Jeep to a stop and the group got out on the freshly plowed driveway. Brianna stretched her limbs out, yawning languidly.

 

“Want a hand?” Brianna offered, reaching out for her luggage, but Maxwell waved her away.

 

“Here we are,” Maxwell grunted, moving Brianna’s suitcase across the thick snow. “Welcome to Lythikos! Land of ice, snow and mountains.”

 

To their left, a huge lake was frozen over, and she saw dotted figures ice skating. It was picturesque and so… peaceful.  
  
“This is where Olivia lives?” Brianna asked incredulously.

 

“Some of the time, yeah. She’s primarily at Lythikos Hall, which is further south, but she’ll host us up here for the social season, so we can take advantage of the snowy festivities!” Maxwell mimed throwing snowballs and dissolved into giggles.

 

“And so she can take advantage of the prince,” Brianna said, crossing her arms in annoyance. She understood Bertrand’s warnings a little more now. On Olivia’s turf, she called the shots, and Brianna would have to work hard to keep up.

 

“She _does_ have the edge here, but that’s no reason to admit defeat!” Hana replied smoothly, touching Brianna’s arm comfortingly.

 

“That’s the spirit,” Maxwell nodded.

 

Drake looked behind them and around the open space, as if he was searching for something. “What happened to your brother, Maxwell? I notice he’s not around lecturing Richardson. I thought he hated to miss out on the chance to eat fancy food and rub elbows with the royals.”

 

“Bertrand was called away for some business having to do with our estate,” Maxwell explained. Right. He had explained some story about being called away before ushering Maxwell and Brianna onto the plane, waving off their well-wishes.

 

“Bertrand is gone for this trip?” Brianna repeated, sighing dramatically for extra effect.  “I already miss his protocol pop quizzes.”

 

Maxwell brightened. “If you really want, I can quiz you on how to best stand behind a chair—"

 

“Please don’t.” Drake cut him off smoothly. “We’re about to have such a nice time.”  
  
“I agree. It’s beautiful out here,” Hana sighed softly. She really did look the part of a graceful snow princess, her cheeks pink with cold. “Even if it is so very _cold_!”

 

Brianna started to comment on Hana’s outfit—she was wearing a light, breezy dress with cut outs and a respectable hemline to show off her legs—but Drake beat her to the punch.

  
“Didn’t you pack anything warmer?” he asked seriously, but his eyes were on Brianna’s outfit instead. She wasn’t quite in a dress, but she only had a simple red long sleeved shirt and a pair of jeans, not exactly appropriate for the snowy landscape.

 

“Not exactly,” Hana admitted. Her words were slow and thoughtful. “I didn’t realize it’d be snowing this much… but I’ll survive. What say we check out the inside of the chateau?”

 

“Good idea. Brianna, let’s go! I can show you where your room is,” Maxwell said, but he had already started moving toward the grand building. They parted ways with Drake and Hana, and as Maxwell led Brianna to her room, he pointed out all the interesting facts of the hallway. Brianna didn’t realize there was so much history in a corridor.

 

Her room was grand and over the top, but it had so much more personality than her room in Cordonia. The walls were lavender and the custom chandelier was decorated with purple and pink. Her rug was a fun geometric pattern with blues, greys, and blacks. It was a lot less menacing than she was expecting, and the carpet was so thick and lush, she thought she’d sink into it by just standing there. She must have been admiring all the little details for too long because Maxwell was tapping his foot.

 

“Come on, Brianna! Put your stuff down so we can go!”

 

“What’s your rush?” she asked, letting her fingers run over the elaborate carvings in the silver mirror.

 

“We’ve got an entire day in the snow planned out! Plus, I already see Olivia and Liam out there on the ice. Better put on something warm.” Maxwell’s voice was chipper as he stepped outside, giving her privacy to change.

 

Thankfully, Brianna had packed one warm outfit. It was a form fitting turtleneck in cream. She switched her tops out and decided to keep the dark wash jeans. She had a long, stylish coat with a fashionably asymmetric hem. It was a warm, light brown and the colour always reminded her of hot chocolate. She swapped her ballet flat shoes for knee high espresso boots and slipped a pair of mittens in her pocket. Brianna examined herself but felt that the outfit was lacking something. She unzipped her luggage and rooted around until she found a red and blue plaid scarf and tied it around her neck triumphantly. With a quick fluff of her long hair, she smoothed some of the dark, loose curls and smiled at her reflection. She looked every bit the snow bunny, ready to hit the slopes.

 

Brianna slipped out of her room, and Maxwell shot her a thumbs up before leading her through the manor once more. How did all of these nobles navigate these huge houses? She followed Maxwell closely as he let her outside, keeping up a casual conversation about the history of Olivia’s duchy. He led her to the frozen lake where he helped her get into her skates before donning his own.

 

“Thanks!” she exhaled, standing up on wobbling legs.

 

He eyed her skeptically. “You know how to ice skate, right?”

 

“Watch me skate circles around you!” she laughed, pushing off on the ice. Ice skating was something her father took her to do several times a year, and she’d often go on her own just to do something that felt so quaint in such a big city like New York.

 

“Be my guest,” Maxwell laughed, chasing after her a little less confidently.

 

Several pairs were already moving their way across the ice, including Prince Liam and Olivia who were dominating the center of the lake.  They did look like such a vision together, with Olivia’s bright red hair against the landscape and Liam’s bright blue eyes mimicking the sky, just a few shades darker.  
  
She moved past them smoothly, hearing Olivia’ fake syrupy sweet voice as she clung onto Liam’s arm. “Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten just how well I can skate.”

 

_If she could skate so well, would she need to hang off of him like that?_

 

That thought came from a jealous place, and she was a little surprised by that. She liked Liam, but she hadn’t really spent enough time with him to start falling for him. IN fairness to him, there hadn’t been much time available for them, and Brianna had kept some walls up around him. Those feelings would have to be examined carefully later, but for now she was content to keep listening in.

  
“Oh, I very much remember,” Liam assured her.

  
Maxwell grabbed Brianna’s arm a little roughly (she suspected he was a little off balance) and leaned close to her ear.

 

“Remember to keep your eyes on the prize! Now, get out there and grab some time with the prince while I distract Olivia.” Maxwell waved at Olivia from where he stood, and once he had her attention, he called out to her.

 

“Olivia! Olivia, you gotta see me do a spin! Don’t move!”

 

He turned back to Brianna with a quick wink, and hip checked her. “Go get ‘em, princess!”

 

Brianna giggled as she sailed smoothly across the ice, toward Liam. She gained more confident footing and glided up to the prince. His smile was radiant, and she took that as a sign that he was happy to see her.

 

“Lady Brianna, a pleasure to see you as always. You’re a vision of grace in those skates.”

 

“Thank you!” she said, a little breathlessly.

 

“I take it you’ve come to skate with me today?”

 

“That was my hope.”

 

“Then please, accompany me.” Liam offered his hand and she moved closer to him. The idea to skate ahead of him crossed her mind, but she was feeling like she needed the intimacy he was offering. Her hand was comfortable in his a good fit, and she intertwined her fingers into his, enjoying the warmth of his skin.

 

“Gladly,” she said, moving beside him. He wasn’t a bad skater, but she thought she might be better.

 

“You look very lovely today. And warm,” Liam added appreciatively, giving her hand a little squeeze.

 

“Yeah, definitely glad I packed this coat,” she chuckled. “Do you and the court come out her regularly?”

 

“Not often. However, when we do, Olivia’s always been very generous by having us at her estate.” He paused for a few seconds, but she could tell he wanted to say more. “But, actually, I used to come out here frequently when I was younger. Olivia and I would play in the snow together.”

 

“You and Olivia, huh? Tell me more about that.” It’s too bad Bertrand wasn’t here, witnessing her extreme professionalism. He’d be proud. Well, actually, she was certain she was doing something wrong, so maybe he wouldn’t quite proud, but he wouldn’t have yelled at her. She was fairly certain. Well, mostly certain.

 

“We’d build little snow forts on the bank and ‘catapult’ snowballs at each other. The lake was too dangerous to play on since we were young, but sometimes, we’d sneak onto the ice in hopes that we could see fish beneath the surface. We never did, but we had many exciting false finds.”  
  
“You two must’ve been close,” she said. He wasn’t really smiling at the memories, but she couldn’t tell if he was being purposefully guarded to protect her feelings, or if there was something else going on.

 

“We were.” Liam sighed, and looked over his shoulder. His voice dropped a little. “It’s been hard watching her, well, become who she is. I know Olivia can be a tough person to get along with.”

 

She saw his face fall and she frowned in response. How should she respond to something like that? A moment of silence passed, prickling slightly.  
  
“She’s basically the opposite of you,” she said carefully.

 

“Olivia had a difficult childhood. Her parents were killed in a political assassination when she was only five years old. She was alone, without family at her estate for the better part of a year before my parents and I officially visited.” Liam’s face turned angry. “She was supposed to be in the care of her great aunt, but the woman had left to summer on the Riviera, abandoning her.”

  
He sighed heavily, running his thumb over the back of Brianna’s hand. His face was tight with tension, but still reserved. “Olivia didn’t have anyone. She was so… alone.”

 

“I grew up without my mother, and my father died when I was a teenager,” Brianna started, and Liam turned to look at her. “It was hard, but I can’t imagine not having both parents at such a young age.”  
  
She swallowed against the lump in her throat. Usually she could talk about parents, and losing them, without feeling that physical emotional reaction, but not today. Liam looked like he wanted to ask her more, but she realized she wasn’t quite ready for that.

  
“Didn’t Olivia have anyone? Servants?” she questioned, moving the conversation back to a more comfortable topic.

 

“The servants were doing their best, but they were traditionalists, Nevrakis-family trained for decades. After a lifetime of holding the nobility up on a pedestal, they weren’t prepared to give her what she needed most. Love.”

  
Brianna exhaled slowly. That was… rough. It did explain a lot though, and she felt an unexpected tug of empathy for her fiery competitor. Liam pushed off on his skates, leading Brianna along the lake, his face smoothing over a little.

 

“The first few days of our visit, she was sullen and withdrawn. I thought she hated me. But one night, I heard her sobbing through the wall. I actually believed it was a ghost, at first,” he confided with a sad little laugh. “Once I got over my fear and decided to investigate, there she was… little five-year-old Olivia, weeping and clutching one of her mother’s gowns, saying over and over again, ‘come back, please come back.’”

 

Liam cleared his throat roughly and she felt her eyes fill with tears. This was hard to listen to, but she knew that it probably felt good for Liam to share the Olivia he knew with someone else. She needed to be someone who wouldn’t judge, and who would let him talk. “That must have been hard for you to see.”  
  
He looked at her, assessing her before nodding. “Yes, it was. I knelt beside her and held her until she cried herself to sleep. I knew we couldn’t leave her there. I convinced my parents to invite her to live at the palace with us. For almost two months, she wouldn’t leave my side. Just about drove Drake crazy, actually, but—”

 

Olivia stopped abruptly in front of them, spraying Brianna with shavings from the ice. Brianna had been so involved in the story, she hadn’t even noticed Olivia skate up. Little pieces of ice melted on her face, and she wiped quickly at her eyes, catching any stray tears under the pretense of cleaning the ice shavings. Olivia didn’t look impressed as she jutted her hip out, planting a hand there defiantly.

 

“That Maxwell is a persistent one,” she growled, her lips twisted into a scowl.

  
“He can be high energy,” Liam conceded with a big smile.

 

“Yes… I can tell.” Olivia’s face fell a little. After a second, she turned to Brianna, her smile pointed.  “So, Brianna, I bet you’ve never seen a countryside this spectacular. Aren’t you impressed?”

 

“Actually, it’s gorgeous. Your home is truly lovely. The snow, the lake, the trees… it’s absolutely breathtaking,” Brianna agreed.

 

“Oh.” Olivia’s eyes darted between Brianna and the prince. She had obviously been expecting a different answer. “Well, yes. It is.” She recovered swiftly, her teasing smirk dancing on her face again.

 

“I’m glad someone like you can appreciate the elegance and splendor of nature.” She resumed her position, wrapping her arm around Liam. “Now, Prince Liam, I believe you owe me a round across the lake.”

 

Brianna shimmied herself backward a little as Liam nodded, “Excuse me, Brianna… I do owe her. I will see you later.”  
  
She watched them skate together, her emotions jumbled. Olivia let go of Liam’s arm to snake her hand into his, and Brianna smiled softly. She was nothing if not ambitious. Brianna tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, letting her thoughts wander for a moment as he fingers twirled down the curl. Finally, she turned her attention to the rest of the lake, covering her mouth as she held back laughter at the site of Kiara sliding across the lake on her stomach.

  
“Ooofff!” Kiara exhaled sharply, gliding past Penelope, who was pouting.

 

“I don’t think I can balance on these.”

 

Brianna did notice that Penelope’s legs were shaking on her skates. The real kicker was Tariq, standing in the snow on his skates as he inspected the ice carefully.

 

“This ice hasn’t even been resurfaced! My skates are too expensive for this,” he scoffed.

 

A thousand teasing insults popped into her mind, but luckily Hana interrupted them.

 She was a true ice princess, gliding past Brianna in circles, backward.

“Looks like Olivia stole Liam from you,” she said, whizzing by.

 

“It’s fine. Liam has obligations. I don’t take it personally,” Brianna promised, trying to spin in her own circle to keep Hana in her sight.

 

“That’s level-headed of you,” Hana beamed, sliding into a little spin and stopping.

 

“Where’d you learn to skate like that? It couldn’t have been with the other ladies,” Brianna said. As if on cue, Kiara yelled out in pain. The ladies turned to look at her. She was sitting on the ice, her legs splayed out in front of her.

 

“Mon posterieur!” Kiara whined, her face dejected.

 

Hana hid a giggle. “Ice skating is one of the things my parents sent me to lessons for.”

 

“That’s an unusual choice. I had soccer and dance practice, but I kind of fell into ice skating.”

 

“It’s a skill I learned to appeal to suitors. I was told ‘a display of elegance can go a long way’.”

 

“Okay, so this was part of your training,” Brianna said, waving her hand dismissively across the lake, “but do you even _like_ ice skating?”

 

Hana blinked a few times, slowly, as if she’d never really considered it. “Oh, you know… it’s okay.”

 

“That’s not very convincing,” she said, giving Hana a verbal nudge.

 

“When my parents were selecting my activities, whether or not I enjoyed something wasn’t a factor they considered. Now I find myself with all sorts of skills that I honestly haven’t much interest in.” Her face was blank, but it was almost like she was realizing this for herself.

 

Olivia made her way across the lake towards them, hand in hand with the prince.

 

“All right everyone! It’s time to hit the slopes!”

 

“Dieu merci,” Kiara exhaled breathily, pushing her hair out of her face.

 

“Skiing must be easier than this… right?” Penelope asked sweetly, and Brianna shot her a smile. Personally, she was a little worried about skiing, but she wasn’t about to spend the whole way there fretting about it.

 

“Finally, a use for the professional ski equipment I bought three years ago,” Tariq said, smoothing down the front of his suit and flashing his perfect smile.

 

* * *

 

 

_Okay. You can do this! You’re already standing in the skiis. You just need to… schooch forward, a little, and then go down the slope. The big slope._

 

Brianna was running her options over in her head when Drake skied up beside her.  
  
“So, Richardson, you finally made it to the slopes.” His face was pink with cold and his smile had spread across his face in pure joy. She wouldn’t have pegged him as an avid skier, but he was doing much better than she thought he would… so far.

 

“What’s wrong Drake? Were you starting to miss me?”

“Hardly,” he said quickly, “I was just getting bored.”

 

“You didn’t go skating?” she asked, her eyebrows pinching together as she realized he hadn’t been at the lake with everyone. She was so used to him skulking in the corners of events, but she felt a little bad she hadn’t noticed he wasn’t there.

 

“Figure skating isn’t really my thing.”

“Really?” I think you’d look good in a tutu.” _And shirtless._ Brianna smiled a little too widely, trying to ignore the thoughts that were popping, unwelcome, into her mind.

 

“Some mental images aren’t worth the effort,” he said. _And some are._

 

Brianna cleared her throat, looking around at everyone milling about on their skis. “I suppose skiing in manly enough for you.”

 

“I’d hardly call what’s going on here skiing, but I’m looking to change that.” He raised his eyebrows at her, his face growing excited. “How about a race?” Drake was so fun when he was out of the royal settings, and she couldn’t help leaning toward him naturally.  
  
“What makes you think I can ski?” she asked.

 

“Maybe I’m starting to have faith in you, Richardson.” Drake’s tone was teasing, but his words were serious and she could feel the weight behind them.

  
“Drake, I might have a _little_ faith in you too,” she replied, holding her fingers together, leaving a sliver of space, to show just how small the amount of faith she had was.

 

He took on a fake shocked look, his mouth open and his eyebrows raised. “It’s the apocalypse after all.” Drake chuckled a little himself, then looked down the slope.

  
“Anyways, I’m going to start skiing down this slope in a minute, and if I get to the bottom before you…” He smirked at the thought. “Well, let’s just say I’m calling that a win, and I might never let you hear the end of it.”

 

Brianna gripped her poles tightly. She’d been skiing twice—once on a school field trip that was disastrous, and once with Hunter. The second time had been more successful, and it was actually a fun memory. She was able to hold herself up, but she wasn’t sure how well she’d do in a race.

 

“Ready… set…” Drake got himself into a starting position, and Brianna followed his lead.

 

“Don’t wipe out!” he yelled, taking off down the hill.

 

“Hey!” she called after him, pushing herself off without hesitation. The wind whipped against her face as she scrunched down to pick up speed. The adrenaline was coursing through her body, and she didn’t have time to worry about falling or looking like a fool. As long as the path stayed clear, she’d likely lose but stay standing. Drake was ahead of her, keeping up a steady pace. He was bent over, keeping his frame sleek against the wind.

 

Brianna caught a glimpse of Olivia and Liam skiing slowly, gently, together. She definitely heard Olivia’s piercing voice, overly praising and flirtatious. If Brianna was a skilled skier, she would do a flashy move, but she just focused on the race.

 

Up ahead, she saw Drake swerving around something, and she squinted against the blaring white of the snow to see a fallen branch. There wasn’t too much time to react, but at least Drake’s actions had given her a heads-up.

 

“Watch yourself, Richardson!”

 

She leaned to the side, moving around the branch with relative ease. Her left ski clipped the branch, and she wobbled unsteadily, but she didn’t fall. _Whew, that was close!_ She didn’t want to risk falling again, so she stayed slightly off course instead. Brianna was willing herself to go faster, her body close to the ground, leaning forward. The base of the slope was so close, and she managed to catch up to Drake in the final seconds. They were essentially neck and neck, and she suspected he hadn’t pushed himself as hard in the final seconds. Brianna also knew that if she had been in front and not had his warning about the branch, she would have lost immediately. Brianna was smaller than him and could move faster, so they finished very close to each other. As they slid to their imaginary finish line, she let out an exhilarated breath.

 

“Not bad, Richardson,” he said, clapping a hand on her back. “We’ll call that a draw.”

 

“A draw?” she crossed her arms. “You had a head start. Cheater.”

 

There was a spark in his eyes. “I think you mean to say that you had a late start.”

 

“You just don’t want to admit you lost.”

 

“I’m being generous. I had at least a nose or two on you.”

 

They stared at each other, something crackling in the air between them. Drake finally broke the tension, inhaling a deep breath of the cool, crisp mountain air.

 

“This trip hasn’t been half bad so far. Shame that tomorrow it’s back to waltzing and bowing and all that,” Drake said.

 

“At least I can ski better than I can waltz… which is barely at all.” Brianna sighed.

 

“Wait… you can’t waltz? I thought you danced with Liam,” Drake said, his face scrunched in confusion.

 

“Yeah, but he did all of the work,” she replied with a gloomy chuckle. “Why? Is it important?”

 

Drake clicked his tongue. “Oh, Richardson, Richardson, Richardson,” he said, shaking his head every time he said her name. “What would you do without me?”  
  
She knew something was wrong because he genuinely looked concerned.

 

“There’s a ball tomorrow. All of the ladies are expected to dance the Cordonian Waltz in front of everyone,” he explained.

  
“Oh. I’m going to look stupid in front of everyone, aren’t I?” she said with a sarcastic snort of laughter. Suddenly her face grew serious and she rubbed her temples. “Shit. I’ll look bad in front of Liam.”

  
“Hey, on the bright side, it’ll probably be hilarious to watch,” Drake said happily.

 

“Drake!” Brianna scowled at him. “If you’re going to go through the trouble of warning me about the waltz, then you should at least tell me how to do it—whoa!” Her passionate speech knocked her off guard and she laded swiftly on her butt in the snow. The skis were throwing her off balance, and now she had undermined her anger.

  
He didn’t even laugh at her, which was nice, as he reached down to help her up. “Sadly, I can’t help you there. _I_ don’t know the steps. You should ask Hana. If anyone knows everything forwards and backwards, it’s that one.”

 

Brianna brushed herself off fruitlessly. Finally, she met his eyes and sighed. “Yeah… maybe.”

 

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to ask for the help, but she was sensitive to the fact that Hana was, essentially, competing for the same man that she was. It was an awkward spot to put her in. Drake shrugged and made his way over to the rest of the group, and she followed clumsily.  
  
Olivia raised a hand and snapped her fingers to get everyone’s attention. “It’s time to head over to my spectacular lodge to warm up.”

 

Drake leaned in to her, lowering his voice. “Thanks for the race. I had fun.” His breath tickled her ear and she looked up, smiling at him.

  
“Maybe you’re not as bad as you seem.”

 

“You’re going soft on me, Richardson,” he quipped, but his face was warm and relaxed.

 

The group took their skis off and grabbed their things. Brianna loved the way her feet crunched in the snow as they made their way toward the chateau, the crisp air stinging at her cheeks.

 

* * *

 

It didn’t take long for Drake, Hana, Maxwell, and herself to get settled by the fire with steaming mugs of hot chocolate. Brianna tucked her legs under her as she sat on the sofa, balancing her mug on the arm of the couch. The sky was darkening outside and it just amplified the cozy vibe of the living room.

 

“Did you have fun today, Brianna?” Maxwell asked. He was sprinkling marshmallows onto his hot chocolate.

  
“Today was… super fun,” she admitted, feeling her cheeks flush under Drake’s intrigued gaze. Did he really not realize how much fun she’d been having with him lately? She was trying to keep her feelings in check, but there was something magnetic about her relationship with him. If he didn’t feel it too, she’d have been shocked… but maybe he didn’t.

 

“And now we have hot chocolate,” Brianna concluded happily, pushing those thoughts out of her head before raising her mug before allowing herself a small sip.

 

“That is wonderful. Look, little marshmallows shaped like hearts!” Hana exclaimed. She was holding one of Maxwell’s marshmallows up, examining it with precision.

 

“Just…” Drake caught Brianna’s eye and they both smiled. “Just adorable,” he managed.

 

“Watch yourself. We’ve got incoming,” Maxwell warned.

 

Olivia swooped in on the group, looking radiant in her curve hugging sweater and pink cheeks. Her voice was syrup, cloying and too sweet. “Well, hello, my dear guests. I hope you’re enjoying my spectacular hosting.”

 

“I always enjoy my time here with you, Olivia,” Maxwell said kindly.

 

“It’s… something,” Drake said.

 

Olivia’s smile grew thin and she narrowed her eyes at Drake. Brianna set her mug aside, her eyes watching the fiery redhead. She’d seen this look from Olivia before, and it wasn’t a good sign in her past experience—it was the look she gave Hana the night of the masquerade ball before she pushed the poor woman to tears.

 

“Did you see that we have eclairs, Drake?” Olivia asked amiably. “They always remind me of dear, darling, little _Savannah_. She’d gobble them down like a sow at the trough.”

 

 _What a bitch._ Brianna shifted in her seat, agitated. Drake immediately shot back at her, his face disgusted.

 

“Don’t talk about my sister.”

  
Olivia put a hand on her chest and blinked slowly, exaggerated for a pathetic ‘who me?’ attempt. “Why _ever_ not? She was such a fixture at court, and the she just up and disappeared. You never told us what happened, and usually gossip is quick to spread.”

 

“She left because of people like you,” Drake spat, his tone pure venom. This was different than Drake’s usually playful agitation, and she understood now that was part of his act. Tough on the outside, much kinder and compassionate once he opened up. This time though? This Drake was _seriously_ pissed.

 

“She always was the sensitive sort,” Olivia said, her face softening. For a second Brianna wondered if their hostess regretted pushing him so far. Just as quickly she offered a fake smile. “Ladies like that don’t last long here.”

 

Drake was silent for a long moment. She watched his face intently, and she could see his jaw clenching. It was odd, like a rubber band breaking, because one second Drake was seething in anger, and then he was suddenly checking his watch and all the tension rolled off of him.

  
“You know what? I just remembered, I’ve got somewhere I need to be. If you’ll excuse me…”  Drake stood and bowed curtly to Brianna, Hana, and Olivia before turning sharply and striding off.

 

“Wait, Drake, dear! Come back! I wasn’t finished with you!” Olivia called, her cadence ringing like a song.

 

Brianna was so uncomfortable. This was the kind of behavior Drake had warned her against. Literally hours ago, she had started feeling empathetic for Olivia and now she was acting like this. Without overthinking it, Brianna stood from her seat and leveled her gaze with Olivia’s. Brianna was a little shorter, but she was furious and that gave her a unique illusion of height.

 

“Olivia. Leave Drake alone before I slap that smile off your face.” Brianna was trying to stay calm, but her voice shook in anger. She could have sworn she heard a little chuckle from Drake. She could see him hesitate at the door, ever so briefly, but he kept walking.

 

“Ooh, does Cinderella have a soft spot for the rough-around-the-edges commoner?” Olivia’s eyes flashed in delight.  
  
“Maybe, just _maybe_ , I don’t like seeing anyone get treated like that,” Brianna shot back, ignoring that comment that she was sure was meant to be a dig. It was a little too on the nose for her comfort.

 

“What a valiant hero to the masses. They must sing songs about you. Now, as charming as this has been, I’ve got to get back to Prince Liam. I’ve promised him a _private tour_ of the Lythikos castle. Bye bye, darlings!” Olivia shot them a wink and flounced out of the room, wiggling her hips as she walked. Brianna’s face was hot as she looked at Hana and Maxwell. She couldn’t stop thinking about Drake’s face, the weird way he left, and the fact that it was dark and cold outside.

 

Hana looked heartbroken. “I can’t believe the things Olivia says… Poor Drake.”

 

“Yeah, he doesn’t usually let Olivia get under his skin like that…” Maxwell sighed.

 

“Well, I hope he’s alright. I saw him go outside, but it’s not a good idea to be out there right now. I’ve heard there’s a storm brewing tonight…” Hana trailed off, twisting her hands together. “What can he be thinking?”

 

Brianna bit her lip, running options through in her mind. The sun had completely set, and there was an ominous sort of vibe outside with all the trees and snow. She stood abruptly.  
  
“There’s only one way to find out.”

 

“You mean you’re thinking about following him?” Hana asked, her mouth popped open in surprise, and she looked like a cartoon character portraying shock.

 

“I’m not dressed for this weather to _not_ follow him,” she said, skirting around the real reason she wanted to chase him down. “I’m going to see what he’s doing.” Brianna tied her coat tighter and slammed the front door behind her, as if it would cause Olivia some kind of pain. She followed the set of footsteps into the woods, marveling at how big his feet were compared to the prints her boots left. He was over a foot taller than her, she supposed. After a few minutes, she spotted Drake in a clearing, staring into the woods.

 

Brianna had a stupid idea, but she wondered if she could make him smile that stupid lopsided grin. She stepped forward and, in her best imitation of a ghost, called out.

  
“OooooOOOOOoooooo!”

 

“Who’s there?” Drake asked sharply, turning around.

 

“A GHOST!” she yelled back, snorting in laughter.

 

“Brianna?” His voice was sharp. “What the hell are you doing here?”

 

“You don’t scare easily, huh?” she frowned, rubbing her hands together.

 

“You’ll have to do better than that. Now answer the question.”

 

“I saw you going off on your own, close to dark with a storm coming, and…” she let out a long breath. “I wanted to make sure you were okay. After what Olivia said to you… I could see that it struck something inside you.”

 

Drake’s face twisted angrily. “No offence, but you’re the last person I need looking out for me.”

 

 _What the hell?_  
  
“Thanks.” She rubbed her face, exasperated. Brianna turned to leave, her cheeks burning in embarrassment. Just when she thought they were friends, and she was really assessing her feelings, Drake hit her where it hurt. How idiotic was she to think Drake was actually starting to care for her as a friend, or anything more?

 

“Brianna,” he said, taking a few steps forward and reaching out to touch her arm. Brianna froze. He never called her by her name, and he was touching her with such a delicateness that it caught her off guard. “That’s not what I… Oh, hell.”

  
She turned to watch him, and he was frowning, his face dejected. He dropped his hand and he looked pained.

  
“I’m not trying to be a jerk, Richardson. I only meant that you shouldn’t have to worry about me. You should only be looking out for yourself.”

 

“What did you come out here to do, exactly?”

 

“If you really want to know… you’ll have to trust me.”

 

Brianna arched her brow. “Trust you? I’d trust you with my life.” As the words poured out, she felt a little embarrassed, but it was true. Liam trusted Drake implicitly, but the only person who ever seemed ready to protect Brianna from the very real dangers of the court was Drake. Liam offered to do what he could, but it was different.

 

“I mean, Liam trusts you, after all,” she added, a little awkwardly.

 

“I’m glad his opinion counts for something. Here goes…”

  
Drake reached out and shoved Brianna. She stumbled backwards, falling on her rear for the second time that day.

  
“Hey!” she yelped. She tried to get up but slipped again, falling on her back. When she moved to sit up, she finally noticed the gap in the clearing that allowed the sky to really sparkle above.

 

_Oh, wow._

 

It was enchanting. The sky wasn’t even dark blue, it was the oddest shade of purple, and the pinpricks of light that sparkled were stunning. As she watched, shooting stars began to streak across the sky.

 

“Drake…” she whispered in awe. There was a soft thud as Drake landed next to her. It was unexpectedly intimate.

 

“Yes, my lady?”  
  
She shivered, not from the cold. Hearing him call her that… it made her feel a little dizzy. “This is... absolutely gorgeous.”

 

“Nothing beats a clear view of the sky during a meteor shower,” he agreed softly, his voice tender.

 

“I’m glad I didn’t miss this.” She was grinning like a lunatic, mesmerized by the sky.

 

“Really? Would’ve figured you’d rather eat bon-bons and dress up tiny dogs, or whatever Olivia had planned for the night.” There was something hopeful in his voice, masked by indifference.

 

Brianna laughed. “Not exactly my scene.”

 

As the pair stared up at the sky, she was disappointed to see clouds starting to creep across the stars after a few minutes. It added a spooky vibe to the whole thing, but she wasn’t ready to stand just yet and make this moment just a memory.

 

“Looks like we were just in time to see this before the storm comes.”

 

“Yeah,” Drake agreed. “I didn’t want to miss it.”

 

A few minutes of comfortable silence passed. She felt more relaxed here than she had since joining the social season.

 

“I used to this with my younger sister, Savanna, every year,” Drake told her. “We grew up around the royals. My dad used to do security for Liam and his brother, and my sister and I were allowed to hang out with them. Liam and I ended up getting close, even though I didn’t have the lineage to merit it.”  
  
Brianna remembered what Liam told her about the maze tag and she smiled fondly, imagining the boys growing up together… Liam trying his best to follow rules and support his brother, Drake trying to fit in and protect his sister.

 

“Savannah, on the other hand, got along with everyone, and they were all friendly with her. She _loved_ living at the palace when we were kids, being around all the pretty dresses and jewelry… but it got harder when she was older.”

 

Brianna turned to look at Drake, feeling the cold snow against her cheek.

 

“What happened?”

 

“She…” he sighed, his hands folded on top of his chest as his eyes searched the sky for some unknown answer. “It was hard on her. She couldn’t take it, I guess. After what happened with…”  
  
Drake’s eyes were shining, but his face hardened at whatever memory lurked underneath.

 

“I… I failed her.” His face contorted into such a hateful expression. “I couldn’t protect her. I couldn’t protect her from this place… or these people.”

 

He put his hand over his face and they laid in the quiet for a moment.  
  
“Sorry, it’s… I guess I’m still not ready to talk about it. This is more than I’ve talked about it with anyone in the last _year_ , actually.”

  
“Really?” she asked, her eyes searching his face. “Does this mean you trust me?

 

“I don’t trust anyone, Richardson,” he replied quickly. Brianna frowned.

  
“But if I did… I’d start with you.”

  
Her cheeks flamed in response, but she forced a little laugh. “Drake, that’s probably the nicest thing you’ve ever said to _anyone_.”

 

Drake finally turned his face to hers, and he had that lopsided smile.

  
“Heh. Maybe.”

 

They looked up again. The sky was gorgeous up above, the stars leaving streaks of light behind them as they danced behind clouds.

 

“I had something like that happen,” Brianna said softly, so quiet she wasn’t sure if he heard her or not. “The pressure to fit in, the people. I…”

 

This was hard. Her throat grew rough at the memories. Drake rustled, and she didn’t want to turn to see if he was watching her, but she knew he was.

  
“His name was Hunter. He was… well, everything. And he made me feel like nothing.” Brianna could feel the tears shimmering in her eyes, threatening to spill over. “I—I don’t think I’m ready to talk about that yet, either.”

 

It started to snow, lightly at first, but it was insistent. They stayed out there still, both too stubborn for their own good. Drake sighed as the snow picked up, threating to turn into a full flurry.  
  
“We’d better get back,” he said with a frown. “It’d be quite the scandal if I let one of the prince’s suitors freeze to death out here on my watch.”

 

“I’d hate for my untimely demise to cause you any difficulty,” she scoffed.

 

“Not to mention that Maxwell would never let me hear the end of it,”

 

“I’m sure even Bertrand would be upset, in his own way,” she said, chuckling softly.

 

“Bertrand? He’d only be upset if he couldn’t turn it into some kind of press event,” Drake shot back with a smile. “Now, let’s go.”

 

He stood and offered her his hand, which she took gratefully. It felt small in his. They trudged their way back against the wind, and Brianna felt bold walking beside him. She reached out and grabbed his hand gently, asking an unspoken question. He turned to her, confused and surprised.

 

“For… y’know, safety,” she said.

 

_Please don’t let go. Please don’t let go. Please don’t let go._

 

“It’s really slippery out here,” he agreed, lacing their fingers together.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“We should both be careful,” he said, catching her eye. There was a heaviness in the air, and Brianna knew what he was saying.

  
“Exactly,” she agreed, running her nail lightly against the back of his hand. He bristled, just like he did when they were walking back from cronuts, and she realized that it wasn’t because he was uninterested. It was because he knew nothing could ever happen between them. She was here courting Prince Liam. The very same man who was Drake’s best friend. Even more, the very same man who could change the Beaumont House’s dismal fate.

 

This was bad. This was hopeless. What had Brianna been expecting? This was hard. Liam hadn’t been spending much time with her, which wasn’t really his fault, but could it be helped that she was turning to his best friend for comfort?

_Of course it could be helped you idiot_. Yeah, that was true. She didn’t have to run to his best friend for support the second he didn’t sneak off with her and ignore the other ladies. She knew she was being hard on herself and lying about the true feelings here. It wasn’t like she was only spending time with Drake because he was available. She was drawn to him.

 

Drake held her hand more firmly, letting himself relax, and she let her mind shut off with him. They made the trek in silence and entered the chateau. They moved up the stairs together, quietly, still holding hands.

 

“There you are!” Hana said in a loud whisper. The pair dropped their hands, and Brianna looked over to the right. Hana was waiting in the sitting room.

 

“You’re up late,” Brianna said.

 

“I couldn’t sleep. With you and Drake out there in the storm…” her voice trailed off as she looked between them.

  
“I’m sorry we kept you up.”

  
“Oh, I’m just glad you got back before it really started coming down out there! But you must be freezing, Drake, dressed in just that.”

 

“Yeah,” Drake said, his voice thick. “I’m going to go get changed. G’night, ladies.”

 

As Drake made his way up the staircase, she followed him with her eyes. He caught her looking, shook his head, and kept moving. Hana tapped her shoulder gently.

  
“I suppose we better go to sleep, too. The Cordonian Waltz is tomorrow after all, and we’ll need a good night’s rest to pull it off successfully,” Hana glanced at the grandfather clock beside her.  
  
“I don’t think any amount of sleep is going to improved my chances,” Brianna said sadly.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“As Drake reminded me earlier, I don’t know the waltz.”  
  
“Oh dear!” Hana shook her head, her long brown hair falling over her shoulders. “It’s rather late, but I could suppose if you wanted to… I could show you?”

 

“Hana, I’d love to waltz with you! Are you sure?”

  
“Of course! Lovely!” Hana’s smile was so perfect, Brianna had to stifle a laugh. Only Hana would be so excited to teach someone how to dance.

 

Together they made their way to Hana’s room. Brianna was disappointed to see it looked almost exactly like hers—somehow that made her own room less special. They did their best to quietly put aside furniture to create a space for dancing.

 

“I appreciate you helping me like this,” Brianna said while she untied her jacket and undid her scarf, setting them on Hana’s bed. She was anxious to learn the dance, and those layers were too cumbersome.

 

“It’s the least I can do after you cheered me up at the masquerade. I’m just sorry that I didn’t know to ask if you knew it. It’s a good thing Drake’s looking out for you.”

 

“Yeah,” Brianna agreed, not trusting herself to comment further than that. There was a slightly awkward pause. “Alright! The Cordonian Waltz. How complicated is this going to be?”

“It depends. Do you consider yourself a good dancer?”

 

“I dance like an angel,” Brianna promised, batting her eyelashes playfully. “I took ballet for a few years.”

 

“Oh? Then this shouldn’t be a problem! If you have a good sense of rhythm, I think you can pick it up easily enough,” Hana assured her. “Now, the Cordonian Waltz is a choreographed dance with specific steps. As long as you know your part for each of them, you can follow your partner easily. I’ll put on some music, and we’ll start…”

 

Hana rustled around for a moment and found the speaker she was looking for. She pressed play triumphantly and turned to Brianna as the waltz music started up.

  
“Ready? I’ll be the prince in this situation, so you can learn your part.” Brianna nodded, and Hana stood taller. “Ahem. Lady Brianna.”  
  
Brianna giggled. Hana’s accent was so over the top, and she was trying to deepen her voice. “’Prince Liam.’” She greeted, putting air quotes around her words. Brianna gave an exaggerated curtsy, drawing a laugh from Hana who bowed in return.

 

She followed Hana’s instructions, laying her hands carefully on Hana’s body. Hana started to guide her into the box step. Once Brianna was able to stop staring at her feet for that part, Hana showed her how to move into the next step, the reverse.

 

“Ultimately, the waltz is like a conversation,” Hana explained as she applied gentle pressure to Briana’s hand, signaling for her to move backwards so Hana could move forward. “You and your partner make a connection, responding to each other to make the dance work. It’s kind of romantic. Actually, the Cordonian Waltz is supposed to be a courtship dance, which is undoubtedly why Olivia chose it for the formal ball tomorrow.”

 

“A courtship dance?”

 

“Yeah, the last two steps are meant to be the most flirtatious. There’s the spin… Just relax into this…” Hana advised, moving to swing Brianna around. Brianna relaxed into her arms, laughing as the room spun around her.

 

“This feels too fun to be a formal dance! Am I doing this right?” Brianna questioned through her laughter.

 

“You’re doing it perfectly!” Hana encouraged as she steadied them back into the box step.

  
“Do you ever get a little dizzy from all the spinning?” Brianna asked, crossing her eyes playfully. Hana laughed, nodding.

 

“There’s a trick to that. Just focus your attention on one thing.”  
  
“Okay, I’ll focus on you.”

 

Hana blushed. “I suppose that works.”

 

Brianna felt stupid. The comment really wasn’t meant to be flirtatious, or embarrassing, but she supposed Hana might be especially sensitive to comments like that, living her sheltered life. Still, Hana regained her composure easily as she guided Brianna into the last move, the twirl. She spun Brianna to face away, wrapping her arms around. As the music faded, they swayed together for a second before Hana stepped away, dropping her hands.

 

“And that’s the Cordonian Waltz. If you know those steps, you’ll be more than fine. How do you feel about dancing it now?”

 

Brianna considered it for a moment. “I feel very confident that I can do it tomorrow!”

 

“I’m so glad!” Hana said, clapping softly.

 

“You’re a good teacher. Ice skating, waltzing… how are you so good at all these things?”

 

“As much as I’d like to claim that it’s natural talent, it’s as I said before. My parents have been pushing me to learn all the courtly and social arts since I was young.”

 

“You must have had no free time,” she sighed, her face darkening at the thought of a young Hana working so hard on all of these ridiculous hobbies. Brianna’s childhood wasn’t perfect, but her father never pushed her into doing activities she didn’t like to impress someone down the line.

 

“Between school, dance, music lessons, and etiquette classes, my schedule was very full. My parents expected a lot,” Hana added smoothly. While her tone was calm, Brianna could only imagine how growing up like that would change someone’s perspective on life.

  
“They were devastated when they didn’t have any sons, so they pinned all of their hopes on me. Every day of my life has been about grooming me to bring fame and fortune to my family by winning some prince or noble’s hand. For all the good it’s done after my last engagement…” Hana trailed off weakly.  
  
“Do you mind if I ask what happened? With your fiancé?”

 

Hana sighed softly, though she could sense it wasn’t out of exasperation. “Peter was an English nobleman. He was well off, an ancestral title and home… all of the things my parents always wanted for our family. We’d spend long afternoons horseback riding and sailing. He was very kind.”  
  
She sat on the stool in front of her vanity. Her hands were twisting against each other nervously, and she put them in her lap firmly.

 

“That, and he’s been raised with romantic notions about true love and a lifetime of happily wedded bliss. It should have been perfect.”

  
“But?”

  
“But… the simple truth was that I didn’t love him. My parents never asked me what I wanted, never gave me reason to think that I might also love the person I’d marry. So, when he proposed… I knew I had to accept. I tried my best, but he became suspicious. At our engagement party a month before the wedding, he cornered me and…” Hana took a deep breath in, her voice shaking a little. “He asked me if he was what I wanted. And even though I told him what he wanted to hear, I couldn’t keep back the tears.”

 

Brianna moved beside Hana, rubbing her back soothingly. This poor woman had been put under an unbelievable amount of pressure and come out better for it, but this story made Brianna’s cheeks heat in frustration. It seemed to her that finally discussing this was cathartic for Hana, so Brianna wanted to put her feelings aside for her friend.

 

“He knew me well enough by then to know. He could tell that I was miserable. I don’t think he ever understood why I would’ve gone through with it. But he was born to power and privilege. How could he understand? He was good enough to not make a big deal of it, but there was a lot of ugly speculation about why we parted. Especially because he got married shortly after to another woman,” she said, letting out a slow, long breath.

  
“But that’s behind me now. My parents are upset with me, but they’ve given me another chance. Here, now.” Hana raised her chin confidentially, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

 

There was a lot that Brianna wanted to say, but she picked the safest option. “But aren’t you worried that history will repeat itself with Liam?”

 

“Well… I’m hopeful that things will turn out differently this time. And I don’t want to disappoint my parents. Besides, it’s not all bad. They’ve been pressuring me to spend more time with you,” Hana confided with a grin.

 

“Why _me_?”

 

Hana bit her lip. “Oh.” She blushed. “I mean, you’ve got a special connection with the prince… and… if I’m close to you, then I’m closer to Liam.”

 

“Wow. That’s quite a strategy,” she said, not sure what else she should say.  
  
“Yeah…” Hana murmured. “But I want you to know that I do _like_ spending time with you, Brianna.”

  
Hana looked to her earnestly, her eyes bright and sincere. They were the most beautiful brown, and Brianna didn’t think that Hana was in this to sabotage Brianna or cut her out of the season. There was too much innocent sincerity in her gaze.

 

“It’s good to have a friend around here,” Brianna agreed with a smile.

 

“Yeah, it is. It’s kind of funny that even though we’re technically competing against each other, we can be friends.”  
  
“I agree,” Brianna nodded. “You know… I was engaged once, too. I know I mentioned that. He was… he was awful. I fell in love with him and then he made sure that he was everything to me. It was hard because he…”

Brianna gave a little shuddering sigh and Hana grabbed her hand, squeezing it reassuringly. “It’s okay, we don’t have to talk about it.”

 

“He just changed me,” Brianna finished softly. The girls sat in silence, and Brianna felt that this was a cliff of their relationship. They could choose to step back or jump into this new friendship. Brianna knew they would jump.

 

The clock chimed to signal midnight, and Hana yawned as if on cue, stretching out with a content smile. “I suppose we should get some sleep.”

  
Brianna yawned too, stifling a laugh. “Yeah… I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

  
“Good night Brianna.”

On an impulse, Hana leaned over and pulled her in for a hug. Brianna returned the embrace with a smile. It sounded weird, but she was craving contact with someone lately. All of these emotions on steroids, the dancing around what you really mean, playing hard to get but available all at the same time… it was a lot, and it was already taking a toll on her mental state.

 

“Good night.”

 

* * *

 

 

She tried to sleep, but it was fitful. Brianna knew she was imagining it, but she felt like Drake’s scent lingered… something like pine, but musky and spicy. Olivia had said something earlier, in their fight, about her having a soft spot for the rough-around-the-edges commoner. That was how she saw her relationship with Liam. Brianna knew she was the most inexperienced lady at court, and she did have a dry, sarcastic wit that he didn’t always understand, though he did appreciate it.

 

Drake got her on a level, a fundamental personality level, that she found hard to resist. He was so charming in his own way, and when he was in his own element, his confidence rivaled Liam’s. She could understand his distaste for court; really, his sister had suffered in some way, and she knew first hand how hard it could be to fit in. Brianna found it hard for herself now, and it was excruciating when she was with Hunter. Was this… were her feelings for Drake surpassing those that she had for the prince? That was a difficult thought. She was having a hell of a time trying to sort out her feelings.

 

It could never be, though. Like Drake said, they had to be careful. She fell into a fitful sleep that wasn’t even close to restful, and she had a nightmare about Olivia cutting her into pieces at the ball and feeding them to Liam.

That was a good sign. At least she knew the Cordonian Waltz now.

  
  
Kind of.

* * *

* * *

 

 


	8. Chapter Eight: The Triple Threat: Trust, Truths, and a Tryst

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summary: Brianna does a little dance, falls a little in love, and gets down tonight. 
> 
> **NSFW: Language and Sexual Content**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has been reading, giving kudos, bookmarking, and commenting. I'm so glad others are getting enjoyment out of the series too!
> 
> This has been my favourite chapter to write so far, so I hope you enjoy. :)

* * *

* * *

 

If nothing else, the duchy of Lythikos was stunning. Brianna had spent most of her day with Maxwell and Hana, running around in the snow, building snowmen (far out of sight from Olivia) and unwinding in front of the fire. Drake was nowhere to be seen, but Brianna assumed he was laying low after last night. Olivia had found little reasons to keep Prince Liam away from the rest of the girls, but they made an appearance at lunch. Lucky for both of them, Penelope kept the group occupied, spending the majority of the time discussing interesting facts about poodles.

 

Brianna and Hana were currently in Hana’s dressing room, getting ready for the ball. Brianna was holding up dresses up to her frame, trying to decide what she could wear of Hana’s that would fit. She was getting cold in just her robe, and overwhelmed with the prospects, when Hana popped out from behind the thick, black curtain.  
  
“Ta-daa! How do I look?” she asked, spinning playfully in a figure-hugging silver dress with a daring neckline. Even in the dressing room lighting, the dress caught every beam of light and reflected it back tenfold, gliding silkily over Hana’s skin.

  
“Wow, Hana…” Brianna shook her head slowly. “You’re going to set the ball on fire. Everyone’s going to be talking about your dress.”  
  
“You think so?” Hana seemed to glow with excitement at the prospect.

 

“I’ll force people into awkward conversations about it if I have to,” Brianna promised with a laugh. Hana giggled delicately, holding her hand over her mouth. She was so sweet, but so reserved. Brianna was dying to get some alcohol in her and force out some of those hidden truths.

 

“Come on,” Hana said, flipping through a few dresses. “Let’s pick your dress so we’re not late to the ball.”

 

“One eye-popping dress, coming right up!” Brianna said, hastily applying her perfume and standing to look at the options with her friend. “Thanks again for letting me borrow something, I don’t have much.”

  
Hana shook her head dismissively. “It’s not a problem. My parents made me bring way too much anyway. You’ll just have to wear heels that give you a few extra inches.”

 

The girls giggled as Brianna stood on her tiptoes, not even measuring Hana’s full height. Brianna moved along the rack that Hana had unpacked, and she took a cream silk gown out, admiring it. It flowed through her fingers, impossibly soft and luxurious. Brianna dropped her robe on the floor and immediately started stepping into the gown. She ran her fingers over her hips, watching the fabric settle onto her curves. The neckline plunged almost to her belly button, but in a classic, cascading way, gathered with a clasp of white gems. It was sleeveless and had a low back, but Brianna grabbed a white faux fur stole and wrapped it around her for the illusion of warmth.

 

“Wow…” Hana breathed, her eyes lingering a little too long.

 

“I take it you’re impressed?” Brianna said after a moment, giggling as she ran her hands over the material. She wasn’t going to pretend she didn’t look phenomenal in the dress. It brought out her creamy complexion and made her bright blue eyes pop, her dark hair looked glossier, and her body was enveloped lovingly.

 

“That’s one word for it,” Hana nodded slowly, her eyebrows raised. She reached into her vanity and pulled out a silver bracelet, decorated with diamonds and held it out to Brianna.

  
“No, Hana—”

 

“It’s too perfect. You have to wear it.”

 

Brianna slipped it onto her wrist, admiring it. “Well, thanks!”

 

“Shall we be off?” Hana asked, adjusting her sparkling heels.

  
“One minute,” Brianna said, sitting at the vanity. She quickly gathered her hair into a sleek side bun, letting a strand of curled hair slip out. Brianna tucked a fake white rose into the hairstyle. Perfect. She stood and found her heels—five inches—and stepped into them hurriedly.

 

“After you, Lady Hana.”

 

* * *

 

T

he ballroom was stunning. Everything was gold and white, but in the glamourous way that only money could achieve. Any other attempt would be tacky. The walls were dark gold with white columns; stunningly ornate chandeliers made of gold cast a warm glow on the room; the tablecloths and dinnerware were a pristine, clean white; the chairs were a sparkling gold fitted with white cushions.

 

Brianna felt immediately overwhelmed, but she saw Maxwell across the room and nudged Hana toward him for a reprieve of the glitz. They crossed easily, and Maxwell lowered himself into a bow before standing with a reserved smile—well, reserved for Maxwell, which, in fairness, was still a wide grin.

  
“Ladies… it’s a pleasure to see you both tonight. And, Lady Richardson, I must say, you look utterly becoming. Truly, a diamond of the first water.”

 

Brianna exchanged a look with Hana. Maxwell was being oddly… well, noble. Something was weird.

 

“That’s… unusually formal of you. What gives?” she asked, her eyebrows raised in disbelief.

 

“Tonight, I am representing the Duchy of Ramsford at this important social event,” he replied, standing at his full height. His voice was smooth and powerful, and Brianna bit back a laugh.

  
“That sound like something Bertrand would say,” she agreed.

 

Maxwell stepped closer to the girls, quieting his voice conspiratorially, “He’s been calling me all night to remind me.”

 

“Ah…” Brianna said in understanding as Hana covered her giggling mouth. “You’ve got to be in your best behavior or else Bertrand will get on your case?”

 

“Pretty much.”

 

“Ooh, Olivia hired a full orchestra to play tonight!” Hana exclaimed happily. She was looking over Maxwell’s shoulder where the orchestra was playing quietly.

 

“I’ve heard you’re quite the musician yourself, Hana,” Maxwell said.

 

“Oh, no. I’m not—” Hana stammered, her cheeks flaming.

 

“Really?” Maxwell interrupted, looked confused. “I feel like I remember hearing that you were a virtuoso pianist.”

 

“I still play from time to time, but only for fun.” There was something to Hana’s voice that suggested more, and it suddenly clicked for Brianna. Last night, Hana had opened up about being forced into all kinds of weird activities to make her more attractive to men. It seemed to Brianna that the piano was on this list.

 

“I’d like to hear you sometime!” Brianna said warmly, and Hana caught her eye with a smile.

 

“I actually found a piano in the parlor here. I was considering sneaking over there to play tonight… You’re welcome to join me, Brianna, but for now, we should be getting to our seats.”

 

Brianna glanced around the room, noticing the fancy name card at each place setting. Thick white cardstock and gold print outlined in black… she wasn’t sure if she would ever get used to the little winks of money being spent everywhere at places like this.

 

“Where are we sitting?” she asked after noticing Kiara, Liam, Maxwell, Olivia, and Penelope were all seated at the same table that didn’t have her, or Hana’s, name card on it.

 

“About that. Turns out _I’m_ sitting at the head table,” Maxwell gestured to the table beside them that Brianna had been examining. “You two are at the farthest table in the back. I guess Olivia put together the seating plan.”

 

Maxwell pulled a sad face, but Brianna had to smile. That wily bitch.

  
“Olivia’s trying to rile me up by making me sit in the back? I’m just happy to be invited. I’m actually surprised Olivia hasn’t locked me in my room yet!” Brianna admitted with a chuckle.

  
“Heh. While something that’s unlikely, I wouldn’t give Olivia any ideas,” Maxwell said seriously.

 

“Agreed. She already has enough schemes on her own!” Hana added.

  
Maxwell looked behind him as some of the nobles began seating themselves at the head table. “Sorry to leave you guys, but…”

 

“Don’t worry about us, Maxwell. Brianna and I will make the best of it!”

 

As Maxwell held out the seat for Penelope, the ladies made their way to the back. Brianna looked up and couldn’t help the smile that crossed her face after spotting their company.  
  
“Welcome to the table of exiles,” Drake greeted them, spreading his arms wide to show off the table. His eyes met Brianna’s, and his lips twitched. She was delighted to see that his gaze dipped, taking in her dress. When his eyes lingered on her body she felt that she might explode. He made his way up again, and she was pleasantly surprised to see the look on his face. It was somewhere between dazed and embarrassed.

 

“Drake, I’m actually glad to see you,” Brianna said, happily seating herself beside him. “And here I was worried that we’d be stuck with some stuffy nobles.”

 

“It’s probably meant to be an ever bigger slight that we’re here with a commoner,” Hana said. Brianna flinched at her words, glancing at Drake. He seemed unbothered. Hana didn’t seem to have meant it as an insult, more just thinking out loud, but it came across a little snobby. Perhaps Brianna was being too sensitive.

  
“Well, Olivia really missed the mark this time,” Brianna said finally.

 

“Thanks, Richardson. That actually means something, coming from you.”

 

“Drake, you don’t seem bothered at all to be seated in the back,” Hana said, turning her attention to him.

 

“What can I say?” He shrugged. “After enough years of getting treated like this, you build up a thick skin. Besides, back here? Out of the spotlight? At least we can relax.”

 

He was indeed slouched in his seat, and Brianna felt her shoulders loosen a little. They watched the servers move about the room, delivering dish after dish of delicious food to the other tables. They weaved in and out of the room, darting around one another in a weird sort of dance.

 

Hana clapped her hands in front of her delicately. “The food looks _amazing_ . I hope they serve us soon. I’m _starving_!”

 

Drake chuckled to himself, lifting a glass of water to his lips. Both women shot him a curious gaze, and he sighed, setting the glass down. “I wouldn’t get your hopes up. Where we’re seated, we’ll be the last to eat. If there’s even any left by the time they get to us.”

 

“But…” Hana looked around anxiously, “…the lobster bisque… do you really think we’ll go hungry?”

 

“Not if I can help it.” Brianna grinned and readjusted her fur stole. “This can’t be too different from hailing a New York taxi.”

 

Brianna glanced around the room, and saw a server walking toward their table. She stood up shakily, but with an urgency.

 

“Hey…” she called out, and the server made eye contact with her hesitantly. Brianna continued, “please, I’m about to faint. I need food.”

 

Never one to spare the dramatics, she reached a hand out to the server, weakly.

 

“I haven’t eaten all day, I…” she let her eyes flutter as she trailed off, falling forward slowly. She heard a scuffing and Drake’s deep, ‘hey!’ as his arms reached around her before she hit the floor.

 

“Please…” Brianne whimpered again, “food…”

 

The server’s face was twisted in bewilderment as he looked from the tray to Brianna. Quickly, he put a bowl down before rushing out, not looking back.

 

Brianna straightened up and fluffed up her stole, resisting the urge to take a bow. They settled themselves back at the table, and Drake grabbed a spoon. His smile was part disbelief, part amazement.

 

“I can’t believe that actually worked, Richardson.” He paused, tapping his spoon lightly against the table in thought. Drake’s smile as he eyed her carefully. “Just… warn me before you take a dive. Next time I might not catch you.”

 

“Oh, Drake,” she sighed dramatically, fluffing her stole up around her, “you know how I like to keep you on your toes.”

 

“Well, let’s examine our riches! One piping hot bowl of lobster bisque to split three ways,” Hana said.

 

“Let’s dig in!” Brianna said, clinking her spoon against Hana’s.

 

The trio took a hesitant bite of the soup, and Drake was the first to swallow the creamy, aromatic bisque.

 

“This is actually really good,” he conceded.

 

“I’m in _lobster heaven_ ,” Hana exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with delight.

 

“Solid work, Richardson.”

 

“Yes! Thank you, Brianna! We’d be lost without you!”

 

“Aw, thanks guys. I’m sure the rest of the food will show up soon, anyway…” she trailed off doubtfully as the servers buzzed about the room.

 

It was nearly thirty minutes later and they still hadn’t been served. Luckily they had each other, and the conversation was flowing, but they all couldn’t deny their hunger. Their shared bowl sat sadly on the table, three spoons clattering around in the emptiness of the china.

 

“Wow… the service here is terrible,” Hana said, glancing over her shoulder discreetly.

 

“All by design,” Drake reminded her.

 

“Even if it’s on purpose, at least it’s not the worst service I’ve ever had,” Hana said.

 

“You’ve had worse service than this?” Brianna said, her forehead wrinkling in surprise. As a former server, that hurt her heart a little.

 

“Believe it or not, I’ve been to a wedding where food wasn’t served until _midnight_. They got hideously behind schedule and decided to do an open call for speeches before dinner. It took hours!” she frowned at the memory.

 

“Oh, heavens!” Drake exclaimed, his bored expression juxtaposing wonderfully with his dramatic tone.

 

“Drake,” she reprimanded him behind a smile.

 

“I can tell you a real horror story,” he said, leaning forward and lowering his voice. “Let’s set the scene. Casual get-together. Lots of people I don’t know, but that’s fine. There’s a bar, man’s true best friend. So, I figure I’ll grab a drink. I go up to the bar, and _they’re out of whisky_!”

 

“That’s practically a crime,” Brianna nodded stoically. She was teasing him, but he raised his eyes in pleasant surprise and sank against his chair in exasperation.

 

“I couldn’t believe it either. How do you have a party without whisky?”

 

“You can’t!” she agreed, arranging her features into some combination of shock and agreement. Brianna winked at Hana when Drake’s head was turned, and Hana smiled softly.

 

“You really surprise me sometimes, Richardson. Thought a girl like you woulda just laughed at me for feeling like that.”  
  
_Fuck._

 

“Once again, Drake, you underestimate me,” she replied, feeling like garbage for teasing him—though she definitely wouldn’t laugh at him over what he said. Just… poke fun, a little.

 

“I gotta stop doing that, huh?” Drake watched her carefully and leaned in closer to her, dropping her voice. He smelled like pine trees. “It’s too bad we probably won’t see a _real_ drink at dinner. From what I’ve seen, Olivia’s got quite a stash.”

 

“From what you’ve seen?” Hana asked, and Drake moved away from Brianna. Obviously, he hadn’t been speaking quietly enough.

 

“I did some exploring and I happened to stumble across her wine cellar,” he admitted.

 

“Really?” Brianna asked.

 

“Yeah. It’s pretty impressive actually, and not a bad place to get away from all of this for a while. Why don’t you join me there for a drink tonight, Richardson? If you’re not afraid of sneaking out after hours…” Drake trailed off with a wicked grin. The prospect excited her, but she wasn’t able to respond as a server set down two bowls of lobster bisque at the table.

 

Hana grabbed her spoon excitedly, but as she swirled the contents of the bowl around, she frowned. “There’s no lobster in my bowl. It’s just… bisque. This is the saddest soup I’ve ever seen.”

 

“I’m not usually one to complain about free food, but this is ice cold. Compared to what we had earlier…” Drake let his spoon fall against the bowl loudly as he grimaced. “This means Olivia did it on purpose.”

 

Drake looked pissed, a mean scowl on his face. Hana looked upset for a moment, but she brightened as she caught Brianna’s eye.

 

“At least we got to have a taste of the _real_ meal, thanks to Brianna’s quick thinking,” she praised.

 

Brianna was sneering, looking at the head table. “And we know that Olivia’s intentionally screwing with us.”

 

Mercifully, the musicians began to play, and the music was rich and beautiful. It almost calmed Brianna down, but she saw Olivia move gracefully to the center of the ballroom floor. Her dress was long and smoky black, sparkling with gems, and she commanded all of the room’s attention.

 

“Hello, dear guests, and welcome to the Nevrakis family’s chateau. It means so much to me that you would join me in this place that’s so dear to my heart. I hope you enjoy the festivities tonight as much as I will,” she spoke confidently and she looked every bit the flawless leader.  
  
“Now, everyone, please join me up front to begin the Cordonian Waltz,” Olivia announced. A general bustle broke out.

 

Hana looked around the table, evidently flustered. “But we haven’t finished eating.”

  
“I don’t think she cares,” Drake muttered, tossing his napkin on the table.

 

“Well… let’s do this,” Brianna exhaled nervously, standing and surreptitiously adjusting her dress. She looked toward the ballroom and tried to ignore that she saw Drake checking her out in her peripherals. Hana stood and they began to move to the polished floor, but Brianna noticed Drake was hanging back, looking uncomfortable.

 

“Aren’t you joining us, Drake?” Hana asked.

  
“Waltzing isn’t my thing. I’ll be here with the…” he looked at the table sadly, “…food.”

 

Brianna and Hana made their way to the head table where Maxwell was waiting. Together they walked to the dance floor. Brianna tried to ignore her pounding heart. On the floor, Prince Liam and Olivia were standing in the center, drawing all the attention to themselves.

 

“Olivia, may I have this dance?” Prince Liam asked smoothly.

 

“Of course. Anything for you, Prince Liam…” Olivia purred, her smile glowing. She curtsied, straightening up as the prince swept her up in his arms easily.

 

“It would be unspeakably rude for Prince Liam to not dance this waltz with the hostess…” Hana said quietly to Brianna.

  
“I guess that’s what happens when you have the home court advantage,” Brianna whispered back.

 

Maxwell nudged Brianna gently. “That doesn’t mean you won’t dance though. In fact, Lady Brianna, may I have this waltz?”

 

“Maxwell, it is I who would be honoured,” she said grandly as he bowed to her.

 

“My lady…”

 

Hana drew close one more, whispering to Brianna. “I’m certain you’ll shine out there! Don’t forget what we went over last night! When he steps forward, you step back. Relax when he spins you, and try not to get dizzy by focusing on something solid.”

 

“Thanks, Hana!” Brianna responded, holding her hand out for Maxwell to lead her to the dance floor.

 

“Good luck!’ Hana said as they walked away.  
  
“Shall we?” Maxwell asked, sweeping her into his arms. They worked their way into the loose circle forming on the dance floor. He let his hand rest on her waist and they assumed the classic ballroom pose.

  
“Oh god…” Maxwell mumbled, his eyes searching Brianna’s frantically. “Do you even know the Cordonian Waltz?”

  
“I practiced with Hana, but a little warning from you would’ve been nice,” Brianna admitted.

  
“Sorry… I knew I was forgetting something.”  
  
Maxwell had an uncharacteristic frown on his face, and his brow was creased with worry.

 

“It’s fine,” she promised, following his lead and letting him guide her along. “Hana was an excellent teacher. Now it’s time to see if all that practice payed off!”

 

Maxwell looked at her expectantly as he stepped forward. His moves were confident and assured, and she realized he had likely had as much training on this waltz as anyone else. In fact, she could just see Maxwell trying to dance on his tiptoes, making grand gestures, and Bertrand scolding him. Brianna smiled softly at the fake memory, moving backward to allow Maxwell to glide them down the length of the room smoothly.

 

“Very nice, Brianna,” he commented with an approving smile.

  
“I try,” she shot back, unable to keep her lips from curling into a proud smile. Prince Liam and Olivia were dancing just ahead of them, and she watched enviously as Liam held his hands out for Olivia to maneuver herself into an elegant spin.

 

“Hope you’re ready for this…” Maxwell said, holding his hands out. He began to spin her, and Brianna let herself relax and move in time to the waltz. It was fun, and she let out a bubble of laughter.

 

“Now here we go… last move…” he said. Maxwell twirled her around so Brianna was against his back. He drew her close, his arms around her, and she couldn’t resist teasing him.

  
“This seems a little scandalous for the ballroom,” she said with a smirk.

  
“The Cordonian Waltz _is_ a romantic dance,” he conceded. “In the old days, it used to be that this was the only way couples could flirt.

 

“I can see why. It’s very intimate,” she said, feeling her cheeks heat in anger at the thought of Olivia rubbing herself against Liam. Several beats went by, leaving her fuming, before Maxwell let go of her hands and gently pushed her forward.

 

“Time to switch partners,” he told her with a wink. “You’ll go through the same steps, so just do what you did with me and you’ll be great!”

 

Brianna let herself glide forward and was delighted to see that as the next strain of the waltz began, she was in Liam’s arms. He was so strong and his smile was dazzling.

 

“Liam,” she greeted him warmly, allowing herself to replicate his grin.

 

“Why, hello there.”

 

“Fancy running into you.”

 

Liam chuckled softly. “You mean on the dance floor of a private ball during a choreographed waltz?”

 

“Well, when you put it that way, it seems inevitable I’d run into you… but, to be fair, I haven’t seen a lot of you lately.” Brianna kept her voice even, though she was a little annoyed.

 

“True. I’ve been a little preoccupied. Olivia is the hostess… and I’d be remiss in my duties if I didn’t spend time with all of the women here,” he reminded her gently. Brianna knew all of that was true, but it didn’t make it any easier. Being with him now was even a little surreal. It felt like she built him up in her mind sometimes, or made assumptions about he was, and then when she was alone with him (well, somewhat alone) she remembered how her thoughts ran away from her. He was still just a person.

 

“I understand that,” she said simply. _Don’t be a bitch._ “You’re not just marrying for yourself. It’s for the crown.”

 

“Yes. No matter how I feel…” Liam paused and searched her face with a frown. “Well, we’ll have to see what happens in the coming weeks.”

 

Liam moved her into the twirl, and he pressed her closer than Maxwell had. His mouth lowered to her ear as he lowered his voice.

 

“But Brianna, you should know… you _are_ special to me.”

 

She flushed with pleasure as he spun her out to the music, and they shared a meaningful gaze until she spotted Olivia over Liam’s shoulder. Her arms were crossed, her scowl was intense, and she radiated anger.  
  
“ _Ahem_ . Lady Brianna, I believe he’s _my_ partner now.”

 

Brianna let go of the prince’s hand slowly and made her way lamely to Maxwell, trying to keep in time with the music. To her horror, she felt tears welling in her eyes but she was furiously blinking to try and clear them away. She was resigned to not cry.

 

“Watching you two together… I can tell that Liam cares for you a lot,” Maxwell reassured her.

 

“Yeah… but…” She let out a little sigh, already hating how whiny she was going to be. If there was anyone who could pep her back up, it’d be Maxwell. “Our relationship is so strange. It’s not like can just sweep me off my feet and carry out of here.”

 

“When you’re royalty, the rules are different,” he agreed.

 

“I know that… and yet…” she shrugged a little, trying not to frown. It was just hard, that was all. She felt stupid complaining because of course she knew what she was getting into—once Maxwell had explained—but it certainly didn’t make understanding and dealing with her emotions any easier. Brianna was about to speak again, but she noticed Maxwell’s expression had changed from supportive to surprise. She turned behind her, holding her faux fur close, just in time to see Olivia’s hands snake around Liam’s neck, pulling him close. He obliged, leaning down, and her shapely lips met his in a kiss that looked impossibly glamorous.

 

Brianna bit her cheek. Hard. She had to keep her composure, but she really wanted to scream. Liam had _just_ been talking about how Brianna was so special to him, and here he was kissing Olivia in front of everyone. She wanted to look and see how the other ladies were reacting, but she was transfixed by the public display of affection. Liam began to gently pull away. Brianna heard Olivia say his name, her voice husky with desire.

  
“Olivia, uh, let’s… _talk_. Perhaps outside?” Liam managed. In fairness, he did seem very flustered under that well-trained exterior. They walked away and Maxwell led Brianna to the sidelines of the dance floor where she could already hear the other ladies gossiping.

 

“Well, that was a bold play,” Penelope said simply, her face twisted in sadness.

 

“Little Olivia is growing up. How sweet.” Madeleine seemed unbothered, and it annoyed Brianna.

 

“Aren’t you upset by that?” Brianna asked.

 

“Ostentatious displays are for those who are either unrefined or insecure. I am neither,” Madeleine replied simply. Brianna’s lips curled up slightly. It was such a clever comment to put the others in their place and show her own confidence and grooming. Sure, the whole self-righteous act annoyed Brianna, but she had to give credit where it was due.

 

“We always knew that she and the prince were close,” Penelope said softly.

 

“It was a power move, if you ask me.” Kiara flipped her long hair over her shoulder angrily.

 

“Right… excuse us, one moment,” Maxwell said smoothly, pulling Brianna gently away from the others. She looked at him curiously.

 

“We have a chance to play a little politics here,” he explained.

 

“Is it the kind of politics where I slap the smirk off Olivia’s face?” she asked with a little snort of laughter.

 

“Not quite, but attacked her alliances is the political equivalent of that. Look at Kiara. She’s clearly upset at Olivia’s display. And she’s alone by the appetizers right now. This is what we call an opportunity. You should get on her good side. If you drive a wedge between her and Olivia, it might weaken Olivia’s position. And if Kiara has good things to say about you, it’ll help your reputation at court.”

Brianna was pleasantly surprised and how intelligent Maxwell was to recognize all of this, explain it adequately to her, and do it without wiggling his eyebrows or even make a joke.

 

“I’ll give it a shot,” she promised. Brianna moved across the ballroom, stopping to say hi to various nobles that Maxwell had pointed out, before approaching Kiara.

 

“Excuse me, Lady Kiara.”  
  
“Oh! Lady Brianna. Comment ca va?” Kiara asked, her eyes wide.

 

“Ca va bien,” she responded smoothly. That was the extent of her French, so she hoped it would do.

 

Kiara smiled in response. “Magnifique. What can I do for you?”

 

“Let’s discuss Olivia,” Brianna began, deciding not to mince words. “What did you think of her little display?”  
  
“I can’t believe her.” Kiara’s tone was already angry as her whole posture changed. “She wouldn’t have the guts to do that anywhere else. She’s gone mad with power here.”

 

“I think Olivia clearly has the upper hand. She’s the greatest threat here. It’ll take more than one of us to beat her.” It felt wrong to talk about her like she was a chess piece, but she was trying to appeal to the way the ladies of the court talked. Still, it didn’t sit well with her.

 

“Interesting…” Kiara murmured. She certainly seemed intrigued.

  
“We need to stick together. Otherwise, we don’t stand a fighting chance against Olivia.”

 

“Are you proposing an alliance?” Kiara’s face broke into a smile. “I wouldn’t normally entertain the idea, but you are fitting in remarkably well. You certainly look like you could be an important ally.”

  
“Yes. You should be my ally because I’ll support you too,” she promised, feeling better about this whole interaction immediately. And it was true. “Olivia’s friendship is a one-way street. Why should you always let her get her way?”

 

“You make a fair point,” Kiara agreed, her gaze drifting to the door the prince and Olivia had walked out of. Her shoulders tensed immediately.

 

“We all need someone to speak well of us. We can help each other out.”

 

“That’s not a bad idea.”

 

“We need to have each other’s backs if we’re going to take down Olivia.”

 

“You know… we could both benefit from a little well-placed support here and there.”

 

“I’m glad we see it the same way.”

 

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I should mingle with what time I have left. À bientôt,” Kiara said over her shoulder as she moved away gracefully. Brianna felt proud of her skills, but also a little less lonely having won over one of the noble ladies.

 

* * *

 

 

The rest of the night blended together as she mingled with other guests and danced with Maxwell. The regular waltz was laughably easy now that she had mastered the Cordonian Waltz, and she was delighted to see she was able to move across the dance floor with relative ease. Brianna was parting and saying her goodbyes, and nearly out the room, when she felt a gentle tap on her shoulder.

 

“Hello Lady Brianna,” Liam greeted her with a kind smile. “As usual, you are a vision. You look lovely.”

 

His eyes certainly did widen in a slight present surprise at her outfit.  Brianna hadn’t had his undivided attention on the dance floor, and she didn’t think the prince was able to fully admire the way the silk skimmed her skin. He was too polite to gawk like Drake did, but it made her feel good nonetheless. With a smooth grace he took her hands and kissed her cheek, the slight stubble on his cheeks scratching her a little.

  
“Liam… you kissed Olivia.”

 

“It was an unexpected advance. She caught me by surprise,” he explained, frowning.

  
“You should’ve thrown her off of you!”

 

“I thought it would be better to handle it quietly and cause less of a scandal… I didn’t want to embarrass her.”  
  
_Damn._

 

“I guess that’s a good point,” she admitted, her lips curving up in forgiveness.

 

“I know we haven’t seen each other much this trip,” he said.

 

“It’s been a hectic few days…” she agreed slowly, her mind drifting to Drake. Ah, the old friend guilt. She shouldn’t be flirting with him like she had been while she was supposed to be here for Liam.

 

“A strange few days,” Liam agreed, nodding. He was still holding her hands. “I spend all of these events rushing from person to person, trying to say the right things, and keep all the nobles happy…” he trailed off.

 

Brianna bit her lip in thought. She felt bad now about treating him a little rudely. He was balancing so much more than just her, or even just the ladies at court, and she’d been punishing him for it. That wasn’t fair.

  
“But at night,” Liam continued with a puckered brow, “I find myself lying awake for hours in the grand suite, unable to sleep.”

 

“The grand suite? That sounds fancy.”

 

“Oh, it’s the best room,” he said with an unabashed grin. “It’s upstairs at the end of the quiet east wing. It comes with everything… even a hot tub under the stars, overlooking the mountains.”

 

“Sounds… romantic,” she admitted with a sassy smirk.

 

“It would be… with the right person. Unfortunately, I’ve got no one to share it with.”

 

“Maybe I can help you with that.”

  
  
“Oh? Are you sure you can manage it?” Liam asked, but his eyes were sparkling, and he seemed excited by the challenge.

 

“I’m not making any promises… yet,” she teased.

 

“Prince Liam?” Penelope poked her head around them as Brianna jumped a little, startled. They all laughed gently as Penelope continued, “If I might interrupt?”

 

“Of course,” he said graciously, “I know we haven’t spoken all day, Lady Penelope. Lady Brianna, good night.”

 

Liam shot her a wink as he kissed her hand in parting. He turned to Penelope and led her away, leaving Brianna smiling stupidly.

  
She made her way to the foyer of the chateau when she heard music coming from the parlor. Hana had mentioned she would be there, and Brianna knew that if she could open up to Hana, she’d get some good advice.

 

* * *

 

 

Brianna made her way to the parlor, but she froze in the doorway once she spotted Hana. It was a melancholy vision: Hana sat contemplatively at the piano, her hands hovering over the keys. Her attention was focused outside, but she must have heard Brianna enter the room.

  
“Brianna!” she said happily, turning around. The darkening sky made her dress look like liquid silver on her skin, and it rippled beautifully as Hana jumped up. “I wasn’t sure you’d come.”

 

“Are you kidding? I couldn’t pass up a chance to hear your famed musical talents.”  
  
Oh, it’s hardly all that. I hope I haven’t gotten your hopes too high for this…” she broke off, looking anxious.

 

“Don’t sell yourself short,” Brianna reassured.

 

“I have to admit, I’m nervous to play in front of you.”

 

“Why?”

“It’s been a long time since I performed publicly,” she admitted, her face falling. “My parents used to trot me out at every dinner party and luncheon that happened to have a piano present, until one day when they forced me to play at a ball and I made and absolute fool of myself, missing every note and playing out of key.”

 

Brianna shook her head sadly. “Sounds like you were exhausted.”

 

“Honestly, I was furious. Everything I’ve learned, everything I’ve become… it’s all for my family. For them to one day marry me off to the highest-ranking man they can find.” Hana was tense as she spoke, her anger clearly evident, but she started to look forlorn after a minute. “Playing the piano was the first thing I’d ever actually _enjoyed_. I couldn’t bear for them to take that too and make it theirs. I wanted just one thing for myself.”

 

She broke off, looking out the window again. Hana crossed her arms, running her hands over her bare skin. “Anyway, my lapse in performance cured them of dragging me up on stage. You should’ve seen the couples dancing. Without a beat to follow, they were running into each other and tumbling down left and right! My parents were mortified, but I saw it as a victory. And I promised myself that I’d never play anyone but myself again.”

 

“Oh…” Brianna exclaimed, unsure of what to say. She felt terrible for coming to Hana. Surely her presence alone was a push for Hana to play the piano, and she didn’t want to add that pressure. “I don’t want to pressure you into something…”

 

“Oh, this is _my_ decision, Brianna,” Hana clarified with a grin, “and that makes it entirely different.”

 

Something shifted between them, and Hana looked a little more serious… there was a fiery determination in her deep brown eyes that flamed wildly.  
  
“So, sit.”

 

Brianna obeyed, taking a seat in the window alcove. She was thinking about what Hana said, about doing something for yourself despite outside pressures, and she realized she didn’t need to ask her friend what to do. She knew the answer.  
  
Hana settled herself at the piano bench. She took a steadying breath, her hands hovering delicately over the keys before she began to play. The music was delicate and sweet, but beautiful too. Brianna was immediately impressed, and as she settled into the cushions, she let the music wash over her. Hana was excellent, and Brianna was instantly sad when she stopped playing.

  
Hana turned to her, and anxious look on her face. “There’s something so exhilarating about playing for someone else!” she exclaimed breathily, “I’d forgotten what that feeling was like. What did you think?”

 

“Hana, that was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard,” Brianna said earnestly. It was, too, though it wasn’t just the music. It was the freedom that Hana found when she was playing. Cheesy, but true.

 

“Thank you, Brianna. That means so much coming from you. That song is actually one I composed myself,” she added shyly.

 

“Really?”

 

“Yes. I wrote it when I was twelve. That was such a lonely time for me. I would sit by a pond at the edge of our estate, watching the water lilies bobbing in the water as the sun set. I remember vividly letting my fingers trail in the water, pretending to play magical piano keys floating in the pond. Sometimes I’d stay out there for hours, just letting the melody run through my head.”

 

Hana’s eyes glazed over in memory and she cleared her throat gently. “My mother was always very cross when she’d have to come find me out there. I’m afraid I was a rather morose child.”

 

“Hana… you deserve more happiness in your life,” she said softly. The more her friend opened up about her past, the angrier it made Brianna.

 

“Oh, I don’t mean to complain. I’ve been very lucky, honestly. To me, though, what matters is _now_ , and I’m having a wonderful time with you tonight. Now, I’d like to teach you to play something.”

 

“Me?” Brianna scoffed, shaking her head. She never had a musical bone in her body, despite her father’s insistence that she learn recorder in grade school.  
  
“Yes! Come sit next to me.”  
  
Brianna sat next to Hana reluctantly—Hana had to actually pull her down by the hand.  
  
“It’s simple enough,” she promised. “Just tap the same keys that I tap.” Hana ran her fingers across the keys quickly, swiftly playing an intricate melody.

 

“You… you may need to do that again,” Brianna mumbled, feeling stupid. This wasn’t fun for her, and she felt prickly with the potential for failure.

 

Hana chuckled gently. “Sorry, how about something more simple?”

 

Hana tapped on a few keys, just five, in a slow but deliberate order. “Want to try?”

 

“I think I’ve got it,” Brianna said, repeating the pattern measuredly, but correctly. Hana smiled and clapped like a proud parent. It was stupid, but it did make her feel better.  
  
“Perfect!” Hana praised, “you’re a quick study!”

 

“I have the _best_ teacher,” Brianna said with a laugh. Hana joined in, and they were doubled over in laughter in a few minutes.

  
“Well, it’s getting late,” Hana said, wiping at her eyes. “We should probably turn in for the night.”

  
“Yeah…” Brianna said, her mind racing. She couldn’t go to bed yet. There was someone else she needed to see.

 

“Brianna? Thank you for coming tonight. It really meant a lot to me to able to share that with you.”

 

“Are you kidding? I should’ve had to _pay_ for that performance! If the whole marrying a prince thing doesn’t work out for you, I think you have a future as a concert pianist,” Brianna jokingly rattled her fingers against the piano keys, creating an ominous sort of tone.

 

“You think so?” Hana said with surprise.

 

“Definitely. If you wanted to, I mean.”

  
“Maybe one day,” Hana said, her expression unreadable. She broke into a warm smile and made her way out of the parlor. Brianna followed, stopping at the foyer. Up the stairs, at the end of the hall… Liam was surely back from the ball by now. On the other hand, Drake was down a spiraling staircase in the wine cellar. She knew who she had to see.

 

* * *

 

 

The stairs were tricky in her heels, but she worked her way down them with care. The wine cellar really was impressive, and she saw Drake immediately. He looked up at her, rolling an empty glass around in his hands.

 

“There you are, Richardson. I was beginning to think you didn’t have the guts to show,” he teased, his face neutral. “Y’know, breaking the rules, out after curfew and all that.”

 

“Actually, I couldn’t wait to see you again.”  
  
Where did that come from? Drake looked mildly surprised, but he hid it well. There was something in his expression that she wanted to figure out.  
  
“Aw, come on, Richardson. You’re gonna make me blush,” he said, though she could see a slight tinge to his cheeks already.

 

“Now that I’d like to see.”

 

“So, what’re you drinking?”

  
“What’ve you got?”

  
“Nothing yet,” he said, looking behind him at the wall of wines. Had he been waiting for her? The thought pleased her. Drake raised an eyebrow. “It seems like Olivia has a _very_ extensive collection of fine Cordonian wines. I’m no expert, but from the names I recognize, noting in here’s under a thousand dollars!”

 

“You want to drink Olivia’s wine? That’s savage,” she said, shaking her head. “Pass me a bottle! Honestly, she’s got so many in here, she’ll probably never even notice. After her stunt today, I don’t think I even care if she notices.”

 

Drake held up a hand, palm out. “Before you pop something open, I also brought a bottle of whisky down for myself… but I’d share it with you. So, pick your poison.”

 

Brianna licked her lips. She had picked her poison already. “Whisky, please.”

 

He grinned approvingly, pouring her a glass. He handed it to her and she took it gratefully. Brianna sipped at it, the fiery taste warming her from the inside out. She hoisted herself up on a little table, trying to wiggle back in her tight dress. It wasn’t easy. Drake slid to the ground, resting his arms on his propped-up legs.  
  
“So. You came down to the wine cellar to drink whisky? Doesn’t that seem a little silly?” she asked with a little smile.

 

“I came down here to get a little commoner time by myself where I don’t have to bow and kiss hands for a few minutes.”

 

“Drake, if you hate the nobility so much, why do you stick around?”

 

“It must seem ridiculous to you,” Drake said after a moment, his eyes serious.

 

“To be honest, it seems like you complain a lot for getting a free ride.” Brianna said the words kindly, with a vivacity in her eye to show she was teasing (a little). She really didn’t understand him, not yet. There was obviously more to his story, and she was hoping he’d be willing to share a little as the whisky flowed.

 

Drake looked shocked that she would say something like that. Thankfully he didn’t seem upset, just… genuinely surprised. “That’s… I guess that’s kind of true. I would’ve left a long time ago, but Liam needs me.”

 

His face twisted in anger. She couldn’t help thinking he looked a little sexy like that, with his shirt rolled over his forearms, his muscles flexing…

 

“I know he’s got nobles and courtiers all around him, but most of them would stab him in the back if they thought they could profit from it. I’ve seen so many underhanded moved that I don’t trust them anymore. And these are from our _friends_! And this latest one…” Drake shook his head bitterly.

  
“What happened?” Brianna asked, her face scrunched in concern.

 

“I… I’m not sure I should tell you,” he admitted, taking a sip of his whisky. His face was tinged in sadness. “It’s still being resolved.”

 

Brianna exhaled loudly. He was getting just as bad as Liam with dodging questions and keeping her alleged best interests at the forefront. “You’re always saying I need to watch out. It’d be nice to actually know what for.”

 

He paused, swirling the whisky in his glass. Drake let out a sigh, though it seemed to be resigned. After a sip of whisky, he looked at her, his face blank. “You remember Liam’s bachelor party?”

 

“Of course.”

 

Drake was unable to keep his expression from morphing to disgust. “We found out that someone close to us that night was trying to sell pictures to the tabloids.”

 

“But who? Who would do that?” she asked stupidly, rubbing her forehead roughly. She genuinely didn’t understand who would even think to do that, considering nothing spectacular even happened that night—nothing that would special to sell, at least.

 

“We haven’t tracked down the source yet, but I just got a message from Bastien that were able to buy the photos back before they were printed,” he said with a thoughtful frown.

  
“Call me crazy, but I don’t remember anything _that_ scandalous happening.”

 

“You know how tabloids are,” he snapped. “A picture with a drink in his hand, and suddenly the crown prince of Cordonia is on a drunken rager.”

Brianna rolled her eyes in agreement, moving off the table to sit beside Drake. It was difficult in her tight dress, but she rested her back against the wine rack like he did and stretched out her legs in front of her, kicking off her heels. He refilled their glasses and they clinked their cups wordlessly, watching each other.

 

“And then there’s the pictures of the two of you together.”

 

She moved, sitting up straighter, and leaned toward him. “What? But we weren’t—”

 

“The two of you were talking, and he was clearly interested in you. That’s enough for them to speculate on.” He tilted his head back, staring at the ceiling. She could see the muscles in his jaw twitching.

  
“What was the headline the tabloid was going to run? Something like, ‘Prince Liam’s Drunken Fling Before the Ring!’” he scowled.

 

Brianna turned to look at him, watching his face as his eyes searched the ceiling. “And you have no idea who would do this?” she asked again, her voice sounding small and pathetic.

 

“Not really,” he admitted, catching her eye. “There are a lot of people who would be desperate for those photos… I just hope it wasn’t one of the guys. The pictures they had… those would’ve been hard to take unless that person were someone close to us.”

 

 “I’ll watch out.”

 

“Good.”

 

They drank in silence for a few minutes, and Brianna was loving the warm relaxation that spread to her limbs.  It was nice to be here, not worried about keeping her guard up or saying all the right things.  
  
“Money and power make people do crazy things, Richardson. I just don’t want to see you get hurt because of it.”

 

“Drake…” she let his name linger. It just felt good to say it sometimes.

 

“I mean, sometimes I look at you…” he exhaled sharply. Brianna cocked her head slightly—was that a good sigh or a bad one?

  
“I look at you and see this wide-eyed baby deer who just stumbled into the hunter’s campsite,” he finished, not quite meeting her eye.

  
“A baby deer? I’m more like an alpha wolf. Anyone coming at me should be prepared for a _fight_ ,” she snorted with laughter and he chuckled beside her.

 

“You know what? Come to think of it, maybe it’s the hunters I should be worried for. Your unique talent, Richardson, seems to be putting me in my place.”

 

“ _Someone’s_ gotta do it.”

  
“What is it about you? You’re so frustrating, but…” he trailed off. She felt a little shiver dance up her spine. She’d love to spin it on him and fill in the blank. _Intriguing? Comfortable? Enjoyable? Attractive?_

 

“But?” Brianna coaxed, bumping against him gently.

 

Drake put his head in his free hand, ruffling his hair up in that charmingly boyish way. He shook his head, a few soft chuckles rumbling in his throat.

  
“Forget it. How about a toast, instead?’

 

“I’m a little dry,” she said, holding out her glass. She was, indeed, feeling a little tipsy. He happily obliged, filling their cups for the third time. Brianna swirled the disappointingly small amount of amber liquid in her cup, raising her eyes to his.

  
“What’re we toasting to, Drake?”

 

“To the moments in between.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“All the nobles think about are the big events. The grand balls, the press appearances, the banquets…” his eyes searched hers intensely. “They don’t even realize that the moments that matter the most are all the ones they’re missing.”

 

Brianna swallowed nervously, leaning in towards him. Her eyes were growing misty. That was… honestly, it was beautiful. It struck a chord with her, it was so raw and true. He cracked a smile, part buzzed, part happy.

  
“Moments like right now, just the two of us and some cheap whisky,” he said, his eyes crinkling in happiness.

 

She was close enough to smell the alcohol on his breath, and she let out a shaky breath.

  
“The ones that really mean something.” His gaze was back to smoldering, but he looked away and leaned back. “At least, it means something to me, anyway.”

 

Brianna’s voice was thick in her throat.

  
“Drake, it means something to me too.”

 

They watched each other carefully then, like in the forest. There was an energy between them, something charged and crackling. Drake raised his glass.

  
“To the moments in between,” he said, his voice rumbling and deep.

 

“To the moments in between,” she repeated softly, finishing her whisky as they gazed at each other in silence. It was shockingly intimate, but she was too scared to break away. She wanted to touch him, to talk to him, anything. There was this shimmering moment between them, fragile but raw, and it felt like a tipping point or something.

 

“We didn’t. Liam and I…” she stumbled over her words stupidly. “Nothing like that happened. At the bachelor party.”  
  
He held a hand up, waving it casually. “I know, Richardson—”

 

“No, but not ever, Drake. And… well, I don’t think it will happen, everyone else is so much more… talented. He won’t be able to pick me at the end, y’know?” she finished lamely.

 

Drake drained his glass and set it beside him, standing. His expression was unreadable, and she looked up at him, her eyes searching his face. He caught her looking, and something vulnerable crossed his face before he grew stoic again.

 

“Stop,” he said.

  
She looked at him, curious and shamefaced. He held out his hand and Brianna took it, allowing him to help her stand. She scooped up her heels, her eyes meeting his again. Had he always been so _tall_? He didn’t let go of her hand, but his face was impossibly serious.

  
“It doesn’t matter Richardson, because you’re here for Liam. It’s… it’s slippery here, remember? We have to be careful.” He stopped, himself, shaking his head. When he looked at her, his eyes were dark with emotion. “No. Nothing is happening here. It can’t happen.”

 

Brianna shook her head, opening her mouth to protest. The alcohol was purring in her ear, coaxing her on, but he let go of her hand gently before she could speak.

 

“It will _not_ happen,” he repeated, but it sounded like he was telling himself more than he was telling her. If she’d been more sober, she would have heard the sadness in his voice, seen the pang of regret that crossed his face. Instead, she felt like she had been slapped. He didn’t want it to happen? Fine. She shouldn’t be lurking down here anyway, not when Prince Liam was waiting for her upstairs.  
  
“Now, it’s getting late, and I don’t want to get you in any trouble,” he said, moving toward the staircase. His hand went to the small of her back, a gentle guide, but he dropped it almost as quickly as he had touched her.

 

“That’s so thoughtful of you,” she said weakly. She was mortified.

  
“I’m a gentleman, even if not one by birth.” He smiled at her sadly, his eyes luminous in the low light.  
  
She couldn’t shake the feeling that she had just fucked it all up. She climbed the spiraling staircase unsteadily.

  
“G’night Richardson,” he called after her. She looked down and saw that he was waiting for her to leave. It panged her heart with regret. He _was_ a gentleman.  
  
“Good night, Drake.”

 

* * *

 

 

In the foyer, she turned to go to bed, but her fingers lingered on the bannister of the sweeping staircase. It was nearly midnight, but Liam might still be awake. She was fueled by the whisky and Drake’s rejection. She was _supposed_ to be here for Liam. Brianna hadn’t even had much alone time with the prince since arriving, and now would be the perfect time.

  
Resigned in her decision, she made her way down the east hallway, holding her heels in her hand so she made very little noise. Still, when she heard someone descending the flight of stairs above her, she heroically hopped the railing and tucked herself under the stairs. Her heart was pounding as she heard Tariq call out in confusion. She covered her mouth, quieting her giggles.

  
“I’m just… going to go over here. Please don’t murder me,” Tariq said weakly, the floor creaking as he scurried down to the west wing. Brianna waited a minute before resuming the trek to Liam’s room, feeling giddy and buzzed. The door was closed, so she brought her knuckles to it gently, tapping on it.  
  
Liam opened it, his bold smile warming her features. It was nice to be greeted like that. To be wanted.  
  
“Welcome. I take it nobody saw you,” he said, shutting the door behind her.

  
“I was stealthier than a cat on the prowl,” she giggled, only slightly drunkenly. He offered his hand out to her, and she took it gratefully.  
  
“I want to show you something,” he said, leading her to the attached patio of his room. It was gorgeous, all surrounded by plants with a stunning mountain view. There was a sunken hot tub, lit up with purple, pink, and blue lights that distorted in the water. Liam, or someone, had lit candles all around the hot tub, and it was snowing ever so softly.

  
“Wow… this view,” she said, her breath puffing out in front of her.

  
“Beautiful, isn’t it? Now you see why I wanted to share it with someone.”

 

“Did you light these candles for us?” she asked coyly.

 

“Oh I…” Liam looked down, embarrassed. “Well, yes. I wanted this to be… magical.”

  
That was so sweet. And easy. Liam wasn’t difficult to be with. Well, he was, but it was due to his circumstance, not his personality. He was so charismatic and kind, and she was selfish to ignore those qualities in him and demonize him in her mind. Brianna felt like she couldn’t help it—when she wasn’t able to see him and spend time with him, her mind warped the truth and made her see him differently.

  
“Oh, Liam…” she sighed.

  
“Was it… do you like it?” he looked disappointed as he glanced around.  
  
“I think… I’m going to have to show you how much I like it.” Brianna stretched out onto her toes, leaning into Liam and pulling him down for a deep kiss. His lips were soft and warm, and she felt like she could melt into him.

 

“Does that answer your question?” she murmured, looking at him through her lashes.

 

“Yes ma’am.”

 

He held her tight, but after a minute he loosened his grip, stepping back and catching her hands.  
  
“Brianna… I’ve never really had someone that I wanted so badly to please. I feel like I’d do anything to see you smile and know that I was the cause,” he said, running a hand over her pink cheeks.  
  
“Ahem. Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to get into the hot tub,” he beamed, slipping his jacket off. He unbuttoned his shirt unhurriedly, watching her. He moved to hang it on the railing, and she couldn’t take her eyes off his muscles as they stirred with his every step.  
  
“Brisk,” Liam chuckled. “Your turn.”

 

“You know, I’ve got all these layers, and we could be here all night if I don’t have a little help removing them,” she told him, her voice frisky.

  
“I would be a terrible gentleman if I didn’t help a lady in need,” he agreed. Brianna turned her back to him, hanging her faux fur stole on the railing. Liam untied the back of her silk dress and it fell to the ground. He exhaled sharply at the sight of her bare back, the thought that she had been braless all night exhilarating him.  
  
“Wow, that _is_ brisk,” she laughed, looking at him over her shoulder. The cold air was sobering, but she was still buzzing from all the whisky.

 

“Then let’s warm up.”

  
“You first,” she insisted. “Then you have to look away or something until I’m in the water. You don’t get to see _all_ of this already.”

 

Liam chuckled but obliged. Once he was settled, with his back to her, she slipped in, letting the hot water lap at her skin. There were bubbles and soothing jets, and she let the water cover her dangerously exposed chest.  
  
“Ohhhhh, this feels nice,” Brianna sighed happily.

 

“There are few things better than a hot tub in the snow.”

  
She leaned against a jet, letting it massage her back, and thought she’d collapse into a pile of jelly.  
  
“Brianna, I feel like I’ve been waiting for this moment the entire trip.”

  
“I know what you mean. We’re finally alone together,” she said, her nerves on fire. What exactly was happening here? She didn’t think Liam was trying to seduce her, but this was stupidly romantic. Like, next level chick flick. In fairness, she had to admit her tipsy state was absolutely amplifying the sex appeal of the evening.

  
“Exactly,” he replied genuinely. “I feel like I can be myself around you. You don’t know how rare that is for me. I’ve spent so long building up an image for the rest of the world… but you let me just be Liam.”

 

That was so impactful for her. How many years has she tried to build up an image for Hunter to approve of? Some persona she could parade around? She didn’t have to do that anymore, and it was refreshing to find out some people liked who she actually was, under all that ill-guided shaping and molding she had undergone.

 

“I happen to like Liam.”

 

“I’m glad to hear that. You may be the only woman here who truly knows me. That’s why I’ve got to be careful with you,” he said, his face growing serious.

 

“Careful?” she asked, shifting awkwardly. Was he about to let her down just like Drake did? It didn’t make sense, but…

 

“I would never forgive myself if I… if I hurt you in any way,” Liam clarified, frowning at the thought.

 

“I know what I’m getting myself into. Besides, sometimes being naughty is more fun. I kept my devil horns as a reminder.”

 

Liam laughed, leaning back in the hot tub. He watched her with a twinkling admiration. “You’re a scandal waiting to happen.”

 

“Yet you’re not afraid.”

 

“I probably should be. And yet… something about you makes me as fearless as _you_ are.”

 

“I’m not fearless, Liam.”

  
  
_I’m not even close. I’m paralyzed with fear, unable to face my own feelings._

 

He leaned closer to her. “Maybe that’s why I’m drawn to you. You exude this… confidence. You’re unlike anyone I’ve ever met. I can’t figure you out, and it excites me.”

 

Brianna moved closer to him, letting her hand rest on his arm. She traced a pattern there gently, taking a few breaths of the mountain air, crisp and cool, mixed with the chlorine from the water. She was feeling dizzy, romanced, and… fearless.

 

With ease, she moved on top of Liam, straddling him and pressing her bare chest to his. The sensation sent goosebumps down her arms, and he immediately let his hands find her hips, running his fingers over the soaking material of her underwear.

 

“You seem to have put me in a compromising position,” he whispered hoarsely. She could feel just how excited he was by the prospect, and it didn’t help her swirling thoughts. She wanted someone to love her, someone to need her. One rejection stung enough, and now Liam was here, so… _present._

 

“I warned you,” she murmured in his ear.

 

“I suppose you did.”

  
Liam moved his hand to the side of her face, stroking it gently as he stared intently into her eyes.

  
“What is it?” she asked.

  
  
“I was just thinking… what does love mean to you, Brianna?”

 

“Love is… hot, irresistible, insatiable desire,” she mumbled, pressing herself to him, needing him. _Love is dedication, and commitment. Love is sacrifice._ She couldn’t face those thoughts right now, she just wanted him to touch her, to make her feel alive and wanted.

  
Liam groaned, moving his lips to her neck, kissing the tender flesh there. “The things you say, Brianna…”

  
She met his lips roughly and kissed him with a feverish desire. There was a growl in his throat as his hands moved up her hips, running his thumbs up her waist.

  
Brianna pulled away after a moment, and Liam was giving her a dazed smile.

  
“What about you?” she managed, regretting it as soon as she asked. She didn’t _want_ the wonderfully emotionally supportive prince right now, but maybe it was the side of him that she needed.

 

“I don’t know that I’ve ever thought about it in the past. I certainly wasn’t raised to have any expectation of romance in my life. It was only when I saw my brother fall completely in love that I realized how important… how _life-changing_ love can be.”  
  
“What are you saying?” she asked stupidly, the alcohol and the hot water making her feel heady.

 

“I’m saying…” Liam’s hands moved up to her waist, and he pulled away, his face crumpling. He certainly had willpower of steel. “Oh, Brianna. I shouldn’t be saying anything to you, not right now.”

 

Liam’s face grew sharp. “Part of me is furious with myself that I’m not treating everyone fairly like a good prince should. But the other part of me wants to damn all these princely responsibilities and throw myself into you.”

 

“Liam, I could throw myself into you.”

  
“I know. And I probably wouldn’t resist long.” No kidding. She could _feel_ him, and how badly he likely wanted to take her right here. “But I don’t want to do something you might come to regret. Even if you don’t feel that way now. In this moment, let’s just enjoy this little time together while it lasts.”

 

Brianna moved off his lap, settling in beside him instead. She felt stupid for throwing herself at him when he was just a true romantic at heart. Not that he wouldn’t have slept with her under any other circumstance, but still. He wrapped an arm around her, and she let her head rest against his shoulder. This was… surprisingly nice.

 _  
_ “I treasure all of our moments together, Brianna,” he whispered, kissing the top of her head.

 

“Me too.” She felt loved and cherished here, and it was exactly what she needed. Damn Liam for being so… _right_. They watched the moon cast its glow against the mountains until Brianna was too sleepy to stay awake.  
  
“It _is_ getting late,” Liam teased, shaking her gently as her head dipped in tired protest.

 

“Yeah…” Brianna yawned.

 

“We should head in.”

 

“You’re right. But I enjoyed it while it lasted.”

 

“Me too,” Liam agreed, stepping out of the hot tub. He grabbed towels for them and loaned her his robe, even turning around as she got out. Brianna gathered her things, feeling refreshed but exhausted.

 

“I’ll see you soon?” she asked at his door.

 

“You know I can only stay away from you for so long,” he teased, pressing a kiss to her lips gently.

 

* * *

 

 

That night, Brianna tried to collapse into bed. Her nakedness against the thick duvet was unexpectedly daring. It was a gentle caress and it turned her on a little, cooling her flaming skin. She couldn’t rest her thoughts, and she let her hand drift down to touch the smooth skin between her legs. There was such a hungry desire in her, and she was begging to be touched.

 

Her fingers were delicate, knowing, as she traced herself, trying to imagine a rougher hand. The feeling of straddling Liam, his erection pressing against her, her nipples hard against his bare chest… she craved release as she plunged her fingers deep inside herself, her need to feel present in this moment.

 

Her thoughts, unbidden, turned to Drake’s lopsided grin, the denim of his shirt pushed up over his forearms, his large hands holding hers, the way he looked at her… she collapsed against herself, breathing hard as the last ripples of pleasure shot through her body.  
  
_Fuck._

 

* * *

 

 

Unfortunately (or, perhaps fortunately) the rest of the days at Olivia’s duchy were extremely boring. The prince didn’t have much time to spend with any of the ladies, and Drake had left after their terrible night in the wine cellar. Brianna couldn’t get her mind off his toast, to the moments in between, and her drunken tryst with Liam. It was all embarrassing, but it had nudged her back on track. Drake was off-limits, and it didn’t matter because he didn’t want her any way. She decided to put all of her efforts into being friendly with everyone at court, sitting through the tedious dinner parties, and practicing her tight, but polished smile.

 

A few days of this and she was glad to lug her bags across the chateau with Maxwell, gathering with everyone standing around chatting, a laughably large amount of luggage nearby.

  
“Looks like everyone’s just about ready,” Maxwell commented, dragging his suitcase across the snow.  
  
“I can’t believe it’s time to go,” Olivia sighed.

 

Kiara was grinning. “I’m ready to get back somewhere a little warmer!”

  
“There you are Brianna!” Hana greeted her with a quick hug. “Are you excited for the Royal Regatta tomorrow?”

 

“The Royal Regatta?” she repeated, looking to Maxwell.

 

“That’s the ceremonial boat race! Your next big event! You’ve been to a regatta before, right?” he asked confidently, leaning against the stack of suitcases.

 

“Errr…” Brianna coughed awkwardly. Hana and Maxwell exchanged a look, and then they all broke down in giggles.

 

Son of a beach.

 

* * *

* * *

 


	9. Chapter Nine: We’re (Bonding) On A Boat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There’s a race to be won and girl time to be had, and Brianna will do her best to make both things happen… oh, and Liam’s looking nice, too.

* * *

* * *

 

 

Their travel day was long, and when everyone arrived in Cordonia they parted ways, collapsed into bed, and tried to rest for the big regatta. Whoever organized the schedule and left weeks between local events, but scheduled something for the morning after their flight from Lythikos, was either an idiot or not paying attention. Brianna’s alarm went off far too soon the next morning, and she was tempted to hit snooze, but she knew Maxwell and Bertrand were waiting for her. Reluctantly she dragged herself out of bed, forced herself to go on her daily jog, hoped into a brisk shower (longing for a long bubble bath), made it down for a quick breakfast, and met the Beaumont brothers. They walked her back to her room, and Maxwell was delighted to fill the silence.

  
“Ahhhhhh… it’s nice to be back,” he called, letting his fingers run over the wallpaper in the hallway. “Don’t get me wrong. I loved our ski chateau adventure, but give me a good beach party any day!”

 

“Is that what’s going on today? I thought we were watching a bunch of boats race.” She wrinkled her nose in thought. Bertrand took a sharp inhale of breath. Somehow it was disapproving, and she eyed him warily.

  
“Well, the Royal Regatta is a _morning_ of sailboat races… followed by an afternoon beach party!” Maxwell sang in correction, throwing out his energetic jazz hands.

 

Bertrand rolled his eyes and looked away. She was instantly curious about the lack of a biting response from the eldest Beaumont as he didn’t usually let things like that go unnoticed.

 

“Hold up. Something is different today.” Brianna looked between each of the brothers in fake suspicion. “It’s Bertrand! He hasn’t said anything grumpy all morning.” She narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously.

 

“Uh… what?” Bertrand stammered.

 

Brianna gave him an appraising look, not bothering to hide her surprise. This was interesting. It wasn’t as if she knew him very well, but it was the first time she had seen him ever trip over his tongue.

 

“Normally, you’d be saying things like… ‘It’s not a beach _party_ , it’s a dignified beach soiree’ or ‘Don’t embarrass House Beaumont, commoner,’” she explained, taking on an exaggerated, but fairly accurate, impersonation of Bertrand.

 

Maxwell laughed, nodding along. “He does say that stuff, doesn’t he? And that’s not a bad impression, Bree.”

 

Brianna smiled at Maxwell’s new nickname for her. After their trip to Lythikos, he’d picked it up and started using it, and she rather liked it.

  
“I suppose I’ve been distracted lately,” Bertrand conceded. “I’ve been dealing with some complicated matters concerning our estate.”

 

“Oh… I’m sorry to hear that,” she replied.

 

Bertrand eyed her carefully. After a beat, he nodded stiffly. “Thank you, I suppose. Now, I apologize for being distracted. You have my full attention… I have to ask, is that what you plan on wearing, Brianna?”

 

“And he’s back,” she said with a sigh. True, the outfit of fitted denim jeans and a plain white t-shirt weren’t winning any awards, but she didn’t think it was awful. She’d been planning to add a little cardigan, maybe red or pink like an apple (corny, yes) but she should have assumed that wouldn’t settle with Bertrand.

 

“I think she looks good,” Maxwell defended her proudly, shooting her a thumbs up. He was like a golden retriever—loyal, supportive, but goofy. She appreciated his constant cheerleading.

 

“Be that as it may, you may want something more seaworthy. Not only will you be participating in the first race—”

 

“Wait, I’m going to be _what_?” Brianna exclaimed, her voice shaky.

 

Bertrand continued smoothly, as if she hadn’t spoken. “But the regatta is open to the public, so the press will be there to take photos and do interviews. It might behoove you to wear something more… nautical.”

 

“Can we go back to that part where I’m _racing_?” she said. Brianna’s bright blue eyes flashed as they darted between the two brothers.

  
“Any time a social season involves picking a royal bride, the first race of the regatta is traditionally one that all the suitors participate in. It’s mostly for show, really,” Bertrand explained.

 

“Whew! There’s no pressure to win then,” she said.

 

“Oh, there’s pressure,” Bertrand warned. She gave him an exasperated look and he let out a tiny exhale of annoyance. “The regatta is one of King Constantine’s favourite events. He bestows and honour upon the woman who wins the ceremonial race, so it’s an opportunity to get in his good graces. But you needn’t worry. I’ve commissioned a qualified crew to man your boat. You just worry about looking good at the railing.”

 

Brianna resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She got it, she should get new clothes. “So… what you’re saying is… I should go to the boutique?” she asked simply, blinking slowly.

 

“It wouldn’t hurt to _look_ ,” Maxwell agreed. Bless him and his naïve soul. Bertrand’s eyebrow arched.

 

“On it,” she said quickly, turning on her heel and making her way to the boutique downstairs.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Brianna let her freshly washed hair down and braided the front pieces away from her face, letting the rest hang in loose waves. She picked out navy shorts were flattering without being scandalous, and she paired them with a white sweatshirt that had thick black horizontal lines. It was fitted to her shape, and for an extra nautical vibe, requested specifically by Bertrand, she looped a white rope through her belt loops and tied a knot in the front as a makeshift belt.

 

“Anchors away,” she mumbled to herself, slipping into a pair of black, aptly named boat shoes. When she went to pay, she was pleasantly surprised to find a credit on her boutique account under ‘Leon’, which she could only assume to be a laughably bad attempt from Liam to hide his identity. A couple hundred bucks was major to her, and she made a mental note to thank him. He really was incredibly thoughtful, and she reminded herself to appreciate the wonderful qualities he offered. There was something between them at the bachelor party, and she just needed to refocus on him, the reason she came here, to really push her feelings to the next level.

 

* * *

 

After the brothers had a chance to appraise her outfit from all angles, they realized they would be late if they didn’t hurry up. Bertrand commanded their limo to take them to the docks, and they wound up following Lady Kiara and her driver.

 

Inside the limo, Brianna leaned closer to Maxwell. “A limo? I thought you guys were having money troubles. Plus, there was the private plane to Lythikos…”

  
“It’s all appearances. We have to keep up, especially since we don’t need people thinking you’re a crown chaser.”

 

She nodded to herself. Right. The whole future of House Beaumont was resting on her shoulders and her ability to make Prince Liam fall in love with her. That was daunting. The rest of the ride, blessedly, passed quietly and quickly.

 

At the marina, her breath was taken away by the astounding beauty of the day. It was nearly cloudless, the sky a deep blue and the ocean a sparkling turquoise. The grandiose, colourful boats sailing through the water and their representative flags were pops of bold colours, contrasting wonderfully with all the perfect shades of blue. She breathed in the salty air happily.

  
“This is great! The weather’s perfect!” Maxwell shouted. Olivia looked over her shoulder in disgust, returning to her conversation with Penelope.

 

“Yeah,” Brianna agreed, rolling up the sleeves of her sweater to throw her arms up in happiness. “Sun’s out, fun’s out!”

 

Bertrand cleared his throat loudly, “All right, that’s enough of that, you two. Keep your wits about you. Lady Brianna, you must always remember that in a crowded venue like this, a photo can be taken at any time. Refrain from silliness. And a word of advice, if the press corners you, be sure to hint that the prince likes you, but you don’t want to be too obvious about it.”

 

“Got it,” she said to humour him. Clearly, he didn’t care that she knew all this already, but she appreciated his efforts to keep her informed. It was kind of sweet, in his own pretentious, control freak way. “We’re close, but not _too_ close.”  
  
_Except for last night. When I was straddling him. In a hot tub. With no bra on._

  
She smirked at the thought, and as she looked around, she spotted the prince a few feet away. Instantly her cheeks flushed, and she ducked her head down. Liam made his way toward her, and Bertrand noticed.  
  
“Ah, the prince. Maxwell and I will get the paperwork squared away. You go mingle. Our yacht will be docked at Gate B,” Bertrand told her, slipping away and tugging his brother with him.

  
Liam jogged up to her, looking dashing in a maroon sweater and slacks. It was fascinating to see him outside of his usual suit and tie, and she loved how casual and boyish he looked.  
  
“Brianna… Fancy seeing you here,” he greeted with a bright smile. “It must be a strange coincidence we keep showing up at the same events.”  
  
“Fate must be on our side,” she replied, looking up at him. He bent down to kiss her cheek, and she caught a whiff of his cologne. Cinnamon and wood. It was an odd mix, but it suited him.

  
“You look beautiful today, by the way. I like the rope belt…” he said, his hand reaching out. He stopped, frozen, and lowered with a little smile. Brianna had the feeling if they were alone, he would have tugged on it, and she liked the thought of him doing something like that.

 

“Heh,” she chuckled drily. “Hopefully I won’t have to use it, but I _do_ have a race to win today. Thanks for the help with the outfit, the credit.”

 

“You’re most welcome, Brianna. Your discretion on that favor is most appreciated,” he replied with a gentle smile. “Ah yes, the ceremonial race. You know, it’s an honour to be part of the regatta tradition.”

 

“The tradition of rich people having private boats?” she asked, her eyebrow raised skeptically.

 

Liam shot her a brief smile. “The Royal Regatta’s more symbolic than that. Since Cordonia isn’t very big, we don’t have many glorious battles as part of our identity… or at least, we haven’t for several hundred years. But we do have a defining moment. When a storm ravaged our neighbours across the sea, Cordonians responded by manning every available boat to bring humanitarian supplies to the devastated area. It was one of our finest hours.”

 

Brianna watched him as he spoke, admiring his passion for the country and the pride he had for their citizens. Liam’s lips curled into a smile, and he looked at her warmly.

 

“So, this regatta symbolizes the generosity of the Cordonians and the strong bonds we’ve forged with our neighbours,” he summarized.

 

“That’s very noble. I’m honoured to participate,” she said, leaning a little closer to him. “Now, tell me the truth… are you enjoying yourself?’

 

“It’s a beautiful day, the staff has been well-prepared, and we’re ready to celebrate our fine seafaring tradition. My father in particular seems in high spirits, but he does always love this festival,” Liam said smoothly, as if she were a news reporter.  
  
She bit her lip, letting her teeth sink in for a second. Brianna didn’t want to overstep, but it was clear he gave her some canned response. “That’s all good… but you didn’t answer my questions, and you’re not even smiling! What’s wrong?”

 

“Well…” he exhaled, seemingly caught off guard by her question. Brianna assumed he didn’t think she’d notice his behavior. He shifted his weight uneasily, and finally he met her eye. “My father loves the regatta so much, I’ve never had the heart to tell him that I hate sailing.”

 

“Liam, you should tell him. Don’t you think he should know?” she asked gently.

 

His face crumpled. “You don’t know my father the way I do. It would devastate him. And besides, pretending to enjoy it for a few hours once a year is the least I can do for the old man.”  
  
Brianna nodded. That was reasonable, and she couldn’t fault his logic or reasoning.

  
“I actually used to enjoy sailing, but one experience soured me on it,” he said.  
  
“What’s the story there?”

 

“Let’s say I once felt the call of freedom on the sea. When Drake and I were young boys, we snuck out with one of the royal sloops. The weather had been sunny but turned gray and windy when we reached a few kilometers out. We probably could’ve managed if we’d been more experienced, but the choppy boat waters capsized our boat. We had to swim back. I’m not sure which was worse, the cold or the taste of saltwater. Even worse, we had to push the boat all the way back to shore so we wouldn’t get in trouble.”

 

Brianna started laughing, and he shook his head in response to the memory in a rueful way. When she managed to stop her giggles, she wiped at her eyes.

 

“I can just see that playing out with the two of you. Good thing Drake was there to help,” she said.

 

“Actually, Drake saved my life. Moments before the boat capsized, the boom swung across the desk and knocked me overboard. I’ll never forget that without even a second of hesitation, Drake jumped right in after me.”

 

_Of course he did._

  
“Drake really stepped up, didn’t he?” she said fondly. His loyalty was unwavering, even though she imagined it must have been hard growing up in Liam’s shadow. He seemed to be the kind of man that stood firmly, impossibly loyal to those he loved.

 

“Like I said, I trust him with my life,” Liam smiled warmly. “Anyway… I’ve never told anyone that story. No one ever found out what we did… although my interest in sailing did drop quite a bit after that.”

 

Brianna laughed. The sound of a herald trumpeting broke their conversation off early.

 

“Oh, it’s time for my father’s opening remarks.”

  
She turned to follow his gaze, spotting King Constantine on an elevated platform. He looked effortlessly regal and dignified. A crowd was gathering around him, and he was beaming.

 

“Ladies and gentleman of Cordonia… I welcome you all!” he greeted warmly, his voice booming over the bustling crowd. The reporters were nudging their way forward, snapping photos and lugging their TV cameras to get the perfect angle.

 

“Today is a momentous day. As you know, I have a soft spot for the Royal Regatta, and it remains one of my favourite events of the social season.” The king was absolutely delighted, and Brianna felt a tug of fondness pull at her heart. It was undoubtedly kind for Liam to put his own feelings aside for his father’s happiness. At first the idea had been a red flag to her, but now she understood.

  
The king surveyed the audience, resting his hands in front of him as his smile faded. “Because this event had always held historical significance and personal importance, I have chosen today to make my announcement. As of the end of this social season, I’ll be stepping down as your reigning monarch, and in a few weeks’ time… Prince Liam will be your new king.”

 

Liam looked astounded for just a second before regaining his composure, but Brianna left her jaw hanging, unable to process the news as quickly as her companion. Had he not known about the announcement? What did this mean?

 

Reporters were lobbing questions at the king, and he was being lit up as cameras flashed frantically. He allowed it for a minute, but then raised his hand and the press died down.

 

“I expect you all have questions. I promise you in due time that I’ll release an official statement. For today, allow an old man to enjoy the festivities. Let the regatta begin!” he called out excitedly, his beaming face catching the sunlight. As he stepped down, Liam placed a hand on Brianna’s lower back and gently guided her away from the crowd, toward the docks.

 

“Liam, are you okay?” she asked when they were far enough from the crowd.

 

“Yeah, I’m fine. But it’s… a shock, let’s say. I always knew my father would retire… just not so soon. To realize that I’m going to become king in a matter of weeks…” he broke off, looking out at the ocean. “Well. That’s a lot.”

 

“Not many guys have to ascend to the throne _and_ choose a wife all at once,” she agreed, reaching out to give his shoulder a supportive squeeze.

 

“It means my future bride will be thrown directly into the role of queen.”

 

“It seems like this really caught you off-guard,” Brianna offered weakly, searching his face.

  
Liam nodded briefly. “My father usually keeps my counsel on all matters. I wonder why he didn’t discuss this with me, but I’ll talk to him later. For now, he’s right. We should just try to enjoy today.”

 

“Liam…” she dropped her arm and went to move closer to him, sensing his need for support, but she noticed the press approaching them. She kept her distance and looked at Liam with a soft smile.

 

“We should answer a couple questions to satisfy them. Time to put our best smiles on,” he told her, adopting a very noble grin. She couldn’t help but admire his boundless resilience. It rejuvenated her.

 

“No can do. I only reserve my best smiles for you,” she replied smoothly, adopting a respectful smile for the press. Something in her eyes sparkled, like she had a secret tucked away that everyone should want to know.

 

“At least give them half your best,” he said, resting his hand on the small of her back discreetly as they turned to face their small crowd. His hand felt solid and comforting.

 

“Your Highness… a few questions, please?” asked Donald, a reporter she recognized from the derby.

  
“Of course,” Liam responded.

 

Donald gestured to the king with a jerk of his chin. “The king’s announcement was quite a surprise! What do you think about it? When did you find out?”

 

Brianna turned her attention to the prince, who didn’t seem fazed by the question at all.

 

“As much as I’d love to answer, my father has made it clear that he’ll issue a statement later. For now, I can’t comment.”

 

“If you can’t talk about the announcement, then we’ll have to talk about something else…” Donald said, his attention turning to Brianna. She noticed his smile had fallen and he looked more serious. “You’re looking awfully friendly with ‘The American’.”

 

“Is that what they’re calling Lady Brianna?” he asked, his face a gentle mix of amused and disappointed. She imagined he wouldn’t be a fan of the overgeneralization of her, but Brianna couldn’t fault the press. It was catchy.

 

“They interested in the foreign lady who’s caught your eye. But let’s cut to the chase. What the real connection between you two? After all, the social season’s more than half over, and with the king’s announcement…” the reporter shrugged. “You’re basically choosing the future queen in a matter of weeks.”

 

Brianna swallowed softly. It didn’t seem like the social season was so close to over, it had barely felt like days had gone by, let alone weeks.

  
“I was aware my future bride would be queen,” Liam agreed, “and the immediacy of my becoming king doesn’t change much at this time.” His hand was still on her back, and his thumb was tracing one of the bold, black lines on her sweater. Several flashes from the various camera crews went off, and she took a little step forward to match Liam’s stance.

 

“You’d like to know what’s going on between Prince Liam and me?” Brianna asked the crowd gently, looking up at him with a soft smile. “I care for him, but we’re still getting to know one another.”

 

“I couldn’t have put it better myself,” he said, smiling at her and then turning his attention to the cameras. She followed suit, and Donald arched an eyebrow.

 

“Do you feel the same way about Lady Brianna, Your Highness?” the reporter questioned with a gleam in his eye.

 

Liam’s smile was bright. “Yes, I care for her. But as she said, we’re still learning about one another.”

 

“Now that’s something the people will love to know,” Donald mumbled to himself, clicking his pen and rushing notes on a pad of paper.

 

Ana stepped forward, her sleek blonde bob shining in the sunlight. Brianna smiled gently at her, remembering she worked for the fashion magazine.

 

“Lady Brianna, surely you’re aware of the historical significance of the royal regatta… do you have anything to say on this momentous day about it?”

 

“Of course! The regatta is symbolic of Cordonia’s generous spirit. The people’s effort to give humanitarian aid and relief is truly inspiring, and I believe it represents Cordonia’s interconnectedness with its neighbours,” she replied confidentially. Damn, maybe her degree _was_ worth it.

 

“Well-put,” the prince agreed, tapping his fingers reassuringly against her back.

 

“I agree,” Ana said softly.

 

Liam stepped in front of her, holding a palm up to the press with a little smile. “As wonderful as it has been to connect with you all, the races are about to start, and Lady Brianna’s due at the starting line.”  
  
“One last thing! Can we get a photo of the two of you together?” Donald asked, holding his camera up questioningly.

 

“Of course,” Liam agreed. Brianna stepped toward him and turned to his clean-shaven cheek, planting a soft kiss there. She could feel him smiling under her lips, and she resisted the urge to run her teeth against his skin.

 

“ _Perfect_ ,” Donald said happily. “Thank you, Your Highness, Lady Brianna… it’s been an absolute pleasure.”

 

“You’re welcome,” Liam waved to the reporters as they left. Once they started to move away, he led Brianna down the docks. She felt so impressed by his quiet confidence. He was the man that all women wanted—he seemed to always say the right thing at the right time, and that just oozed attractiveness. Liam was impossibly humble, especially about how powerful he was, and it was even more intriguing to her.

 

“I think that went well…” he trailed off, glancing at her.

 

“Oh?”

 

“I can tell by now when they like someone. I’m glad… the people take their cues from the press. Come on, the race is going to start soon! We should get you to your boat!”

 

Together they made their way to the ‘B Gate’ where she could see Maxwell waving wildly from an impressive yacht.

 

“Brianna! Over here!” Maxwell called and she laughed—as if she couldn’t see him.

 

“Your ride awaits,” Liam whispered in her ear. She saw a smirk as he pulled away.

  
“You’re not coming with me?” she pushed her lower lip out in a pout. “You can witness my triumph first hand…”

 

“I wish I could, but my place is with the king right now. I’ll witness your victory from there. Good luck!”

 

* * *

 

 

On the boat, she was surprised to see Drake helping Maxwell preparing the yacht to set sail.

 

“Drake? What are you doing here?” Brianna felt her cheeks grow hot as the memories from the wine cellar surfaced. He wasn’t an option any more—well, he hadn’t ever been—and she was going to remember that he was a friend. Liam was the man for her.

 

“Maxwell, didn’t you leave with Bertrand? And shouldn’t there be other people? Like… an actual crew?” she chuckled.

  
“Yeah, _Maxwell_. What happened?” Drake asked, coiling a length of rope up as he watched his friend carefully.

 

“Well…” Maxwell began slowly, drawling the word out. “I have good news and bad news.”

 

“Tell me the bad news first,” she said.

  
“The bad news is that the actual crew dropped out… something about not paying upfront?” Maxwell shook his head dismissively. “But good news! You still _have_ a crew. In fact, Drake volunteered to help out.”

 

“He ‘volunteered’?” she said with air quotes.

 

Drake chuckled dryly, shaking his head at her. “Maxwell begged me.”

 

“I thought I was rather dignified.”

 

“Practically in tears, actually.”

 

“And you both… know about sailing?” she asked delicately, her eyes flicking between them.

 

Maxwell’s chest puffed indignantly. “I used to _own_ several boats, and Drake is an excellent boatman!”

 

“Drake, from what I hear, you’re terrible with boats!” she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air dramatically. “I just heard a story about a capsized boat from Liam that says Drake isn’t.”

 

“He told you about that?” Drake’s eyebrows rose in surprise. He watched Brianna for a second, and shrugged. “Okay, that was bad, but after that whole mess, I decided I’d spend a summer learning how to sail properly. Trust me, you’re in good hands. At least mine. Can’t speak for Maxwell.”

 

“Hey!” Maxwell pushed his lower lip out into an exaggerated pout.

  
“Wait, what about Bertrand? Why isn’t he here?” Brianna looked around the yacht again, as if she was expecting him to pop up from below deck.

 

“His words were, and I quote…” Maxwell cleared his throat, adopting a lavish accent with an accompanying sneer of his lip. “‘Have we fallen so far? Is this what becomes of House Ramsford?’ And then he muttered something about ruin and reducing our name to rubble and then I _hope_ he went to get a drink or something after that.”

 

Maxwell gave her a hopeless laugh, and Brianna chuckled.  
  
“You’re been working on your impression. It’s almost as good as mine,” she teased. “But, yeah, that sounds about right. What about Tariq? He looks like a guy who could sail a boat.”

 

Before she was able to finish her sentence, Drake was laughing heartily. Brianna crossed her arms, her hip jutting out with sass. When he had composed herself, she shot him a scowl. It wasn’t _that_ funny, especially for someone as guarded with their emotions as Drake.  
  
“It was only a thought.”

 

“Yeah, yeah. I’m sorry to say Richardson, you’re not going to be cruising around like the other ladies. You’re going to have to do some work to help us win. I hope you’re up to the job.”

 

“Drake, trust me, _I’m_ up to it… only if you can keep up.”

 

Their eyes met, flashing in an accepted challenge. Finally, Drake cracked, that crooked grin curving his lips. See, friends. She could handle that. She was _barely_ flirting. Brianna just couldn’t help it.  
  
“You’re on, Richardson.”

 

Drake tied the last rope inside the boat, looking to Brianna with a nod. “Casting off!” he called as he unfurled the sails and steered the boat to the starting line. Brianna looked around—she could see Olivia to their left, and Hana to their right.

 

“Good luck to you both!” Hana called with a sweet wave.

 

“I don’t need luck,” Olivia shouted with a huge smile. “I know I’m going to win! I hope you both like _losing_!”

 

Brianna gritted her teeth. She wanted to do laps around Olivia, just to prove everyone wrong. One thing she never shied away from was a challenge, especially when she was at a disadvantage.

  
“Maxwell, how do we win this damn thing?”

 

“Brianna, you’ll be watching the wind indicator for us. Whenever it shifts, tell us, so we can adjust the sails,” Maxell pointed up, directing her attention to the rods. It seemed easy enough. She’d never really sailed, but she’d been on the boat with Kevin and Gretchen as they gave their boat tours of New York. At the very least, she wouldn’t get sea sick. She must have looked somewhat worried, because Drake scoffed dryly.

 

“Don’t worry, Richardson. We’ll tell you what else needs to be done as it comes,” Drake reassured her, working over a knot in the rope.

 

“Sounds doable.”

 

Maxwell pointed to the docks excitedly. “Looks like the race is about to start!”

  
Brianna turned, seeing King Constantine standing on the elevated platform by the starting line. Queen Regina and Prince Liam flanked him on either side, and the king was smiling broadly. The starting pistol was in his hand, held strongly up to the sky.

 

“Racers, ready!” the king bellowed.

 

“Here we go…” Drake mumbled, his body poised and ready. Maxwell was clapping delightedly.

 

The king pulled the trigger. She was certain she heard him call, ‘and go!’ but the noise of the boats and the excited shouting was too loud. All of the sails unfurled and there was the satisfying ‘whoosh’ of air as their sail caught the wind. To their left, she saw Olivia’s boat cut through the water smoothly. Olivia was waving her fingers at Brianna, radiating with delight, showing off a smug smile. “I’ll be waiting at the finish line!”

 

Before Brianna could think of a quippy response, a gust of wind caught their sails and propelled them forward. She watched Maxwell and Drake work together, tightening ropes, adjusting beams, and steering the sailboat confidently. She may have underestimated the boys, but she really was proud to have these men standing by her side, rooting for her. Winning the race would just be a bonus, and she could shove it in Olivia’s face (well, maybe not quite).

 

“Hold it steady,” Drake called out, and Brianna noticed the wind indicator shifting quickly.

 

“The wind changed!” she yelled to Maxwell, who shot her a hasty thumbs up.

  
“Adjusting sails!” he confirmed, moving his body with the boat, dodging the boom. The pair bustled around the boat as they adjusted the angle of the sails. Maxwell darted by Brianna, handing her a rope.

 

“Hey, Brianna, tie this down for us! We need to hold this sail in place!” She grabbed it quickly, the rope’s fibers rubbing roughly against her manicured nails. Brianna smirked to herself as she wrapped the rope around the notch on the deck. She was genuinely worried about ruining her nails… she had officially become a princess, with our without Liam.

 

“Perfect,” she breathed out quickly, admiring her tight, sturdy knot. Brianna pushed her har behind her as she stood, shielding her eyes from the sun. There was a buoy floating in the distance, not too far from their current position.

  
Maxwell noticed it too, and he whistled appreciatively. “There’s the halfway point! We just have to turn around the buoy and head back to the finish line!”

 

Drake swore under his breath, tugging on a rope and tying it quickly. “We’re coming in too fast! I can’t adjust the jib quick enough, so brace yourselves!”

 

Brianna lowered herself to the deck of the boat as it turned hard to the right, the edge of the boat’s deck skimming along the water’s surface. Her hand reached out for some rigging, grateful to find a grip as salt water sprayed onto her arms and the boat.

 

_Piece of cake!_

“Let’s keep going, we’re almost there,” Drake shouted, pushing the sleeves of his shirt up and moving quickly to the other side of the boat.

 

“Wind’s picking up in our favour!” Maxwell cheered, pumping his arm in excitement. Brianna bit her lip, smiling, before Drake clapped once to draw their attention.

 

“Back to stations! Richardson, secure the jib.”

 

Her eyes followed his back as he moved to the back of the boat. “And that means to…?”

 

“Catch the wind coming from behind us,” he told her over his shoulder, crouching down. Brianna nodded, moving opposite of Drake to the front of the boat. The front sail was fighting her, and she needed to coax it into the wind. It took her a few tries, her arm muscles burning, but she managed to get the sail into position. It stretched as the wind caught the fabric, pushing them across the water.

  
They moved deftly across the water, the wind seeming to push them wildly. Drake and Maxwell were steering the boat straight, making little adjustments. Brianna caught Olivia’s eye as their boat passed hers. She could hear Olivia let out a yell of frustration before her red head bobbed to the other side of the boat.

 

Brianna and the men crossed the finish line first, and she jumped up and down excitedly. “We did it!”

 

Maxwell wolf whistled and shouted into the sky wildly. “Woooohoooooo!”

 

She bounced up to Drake, clapping stupidly, and pulled him into a hug. It seemed to have caught both of them off guard, but Brianna hugged him roughly for a second before moving away quickly.

 

Drake was beaming. “You really pulled through for us, Richardson.”

  
“No way. I just tried to keep up. I have to say, you two blew me away! Thank you both, seriously,” she said, slapping Maxwell’s palm in a high five. She could see Constantine and Liam clapping politely, and it made her feel so damn proud.

 

* * *

 

 

After the celebrations on the boat calmed down, Brianna and the other ladies disembarked from their respective boats to meet the king and prince at the docks. As Brianna moved closer to the king and prince, they walked up to meet her.

 

“Congratulations, Lady Brianna. That was some impressive sailing out there,” he said kindly with a polite smile.

 

“I had a wonderful crew, so I can’t take all of the credit, sir… just most of it,” she replied with a teasing smile. The king laughed in appreciation, shaking his head slightly.

 

“This girl has a sense of humour, Liam.”

 

“I know, father,” Liam agreed with a sly wink to Brianna.

 

“Lady Brianna, I commend you and your crew. Please enjoy the rest of the festivities,” Constantine said with a grand gesture to the docks.

  
“I wish we could stay and chat more, but the official races are about to begin, and we need to head to our places,” Liam nodded across the harbor.

 

Brianna cleared her throat gently, leaning closer to the prince. “Liam, where do we go?” She felt stupid asking him that, but she had no idea where she was supposed to be, and she guessed that the other ladies probably did.

 

“I’ll be with the rest of the royal family. You will likely be with the other suitors on the Nevrakis yacht,” he replied conspiratorially.

 

“You mean Olivia’s yacht,” she corrected flatly.

 

Liam sighed, and Brianna instantly felt stung by his exasperated response. Perhaps it was a bit of a childish rivalry, and she could understand why that kind of thing might be taxing for him to hear about. Still, she thought he might empathize with them a little more—it was certainly difficult to see a woman that was being nasty to you kissing the same man you were vying for.  
  
“I know you two don’t get along, but the party she hosts should be fun. Perhaps you and Hana can keep each other company,” he said in a kind but distant way.

  
A fanfare of trumpets erupted, and she shrugged.

  
“You should go. I think that’s your cue. I’ll be fine, wherever I end up,” Brianna responded coolly. Liam dipped into a bow before racing toward the royal booth. Hana popped up behind her and tapped her playfully on the shoulder.

 

“Hana!” Brianna pulled her into a quick hug. “Thank goodness. You’re going to Olivia’s boat, aren’t you?”

 

Hana frowned, her eyes downcast. “I won’t be there, sadly. My parents wanted me to host my own viewing party, but unfortunately, I’m not as popular as they expected. Olivia’s really got her hooks in the ladies here. My parents invited dozens of nobles, but no one accepted, but it would be the ultimate embarrassment to not even go to my own party.”

 

“Aw… I’m sorry, Hana,” Brianna said, looking to Hana’s boat. It was bustling with staff, but there were no guests. Meanwhile, Olivia’s boat was loud and ostentatious (she stifled a biting piece of commentary at that thought), and she was annoyed at the unfairness of the situation.

 

“It’s not so bad,” Hana smiled. “There’s going to be lots of appetizers and champagne and a lovely viewing deck… all just for me, I suppose.”

 

“Hana, I’ll come to your party.”

 

“Are you sure you want to hang out on my family’s boat?” Hana asked, her mouth a little ‘o’ of surprise.

 

Brianna snorted in laughter. “You think I want to share a boat with Olivia? Yuck.”

 

“Then I’m glad to come to your rescue. Please, follow me.”

 

* * *

 

Hana’s yacht was, unsurprisingly, stunning. There was an abundance of silken pillows on a cushioned set of seats which the girls sank into happily. Brianna grabbed a flute of champagne at the table in front of them, popping a chocolate covered strawberry in her mouth happily. Who knew rich people payed for the stem to be removed? Genius.

 

Unlike Brianna, Hana settled into her seat primly. “Welcome to my humble yacht.”

 

“Wow, everything here is _so_ nice… Hana, how loaded are you?” Brianna asked in between bites of the strawberry.

  
“I… well, uh….” Hana tucked a piece of hair behind her ear nervously. “I suppose I am from a noble family.”

 

“I’m teasing. Mostly. But, Bertrand’s from a noble family, and he can’ afford a dinghy, let alone an entire yacht. And you usually seem so modest.”

 

“It’s not my style to show off, but my parents wanted to display their wealth for the royal family,” Hana said simply, sipping from a champagne flute. “They think it’s of the utmost importance that I impress everyone here, no matter how extravagant the display.”

 

“You can consider me impressed,” Brianna nodded, almost to herself. “Look, I know this might be coming out of left field, but I’m having some trouble with the whole fitting in with you noble ladies. That’s not so bad, but…” she broke off and rubbed her forehead. “I guess it’s Liam. It feels like sometimes it’s too hard for him to understand that this is really foreign to me. Like, really foreign. I was a waitress. I _served_ him.”

 

Hana nodded thoughtfully. “Brianna, I think he recognizes that. It’s hard for him too, though.”

 

“I know. I feel bratty even talking about this,” she admitted, swirling her champagne around and avoiding Hana’s gaze. “It’s just the things he says sometimes, or the way he says them. It makes me think it wouldn’t work.”

 

There was a beat of silence. Brianna met her friend’s eyes with a sad smile. “Sorry, Hana. I probably shouldn’t even say things like that.”

“It’s okay,” Hana assured her, scooting closer. “I promise. I think this a lot for both of you. Prince Liam hasn’t been through this before either. He knows all about the social season, of course, but he’s never been tasked with picking out the Queen of Cordonia before. There is an unimaginable amount of pressure on him.”

Brianna tilted her chin up, looking at a cloud in the sky. She understood that, of course, and she was sympathetic to Liam’s situation, but she didn’t think it was a free pass to downplay her own emotions. Of course, she had time to run over every single thing that Liam said to her in those precious moments where they were able to interact.

  
“You’re right. I’m probably overanalyzing things,” she said with a tight smile, sipping at her champagne. “Seriously though, just one bottle of this champagne is probably worth more than what I make in a whole week waiting tables in New York.”

 

Hana brightened, clinking her glass with Brianna’s. “Well, what’s mind is yours. Please, enjoy whatever you want. And… Brianna? Your feelings are totally valid. The social season is hard for all of us. Don’t let anyone, especially Olivia, trick you into thinking otherwise.”

 

The girls shared a little hug, and Brianna did feel a little better after confiding in Hana. A waiter approached them with a tray of chilled champagne flutes and mint water.

 

“Well, Brianna, what’ll you have?”

 

“More champagne, please,” Brianna said, switching her empty glass for a chilled one. Hana joined her.

  
“Cheers!”

 

They sipped in silence for a moment, and Brianna noticed just how many waiters were milling about, their bodies poised to assist nonexistent guests. Buckets of ice housed bottles of champagne at strategic locations across the boat… it was a little sad, actually, and a bit odd.

  
“This is actually a _lot_ of champagne. Even for a party,” Brianna remarked.

 

“Well, the ship is new and hasn’t been named yet. Naming it would’ve been cause for celebration,” Hana explained, gesturing to the champagne bottles. She eyed Brianna carefully. “But, since you’re here, I’m hoping you’ll help me christen it.”

 

Brianna blinked a few times, caught off guard. “You want _my_ help? Are you sure?”

 

“Yeah! It’ll be fun!” Hana replied with a giggle.

 

“What do you even name a ship? The Flying Cordonian? Heart of Gold?”

 

“Aphrodite?” Hana shot back with raised eyebrows.

 

Brianna slapped her mouth dramatically. Through muffled laughter, she met Hana’s eye. The champagne might have hit her a little harder than she expected. “How about Seas the Day?”

 

“Seas the Day? I kind of like the humour of it,” Hana agreed.

 

“All aboard! Let’s Seas the Day!” Brianna called out, raising her champagne flute triumphantly.

 

“Not so fast!” Hana stood smoothly, setting down her glass and taking Brianna’s, tucking it away safely. “We need to officially christen her first!”

 

Hana turned and grabbed a chilling bottle of champagne, holding it out to Brianna with an excited smile.

 

“We should do it together!” Brianna insisted, taking a step to hold the bottle together, like proud parents.

 

“All right. We both name it, after all.”

Together they smashed the bottle against the railing, giggling as the foamy champagne ran down the side of the boat. Brianna jokingly dipped her finger in, licking it clean.

 

“Woooo! Seas the Day is officially in business,” Brianna yelled out to the wind.

  
“Just in time for the race too! The boats are taking their positions,” Hana said, pointing across the docks. In the distance, the boats were clustered together at the starting line. Brianna marveled at the way the colourful sails dotted against the impossibly blue sky and water.

 

“Which boat do you think is going to win, Brianna?”

 

“The boat with the pirate flag, hands down. Seems like a boat that Olivia would fund, and she’d do anything to win,” Brianna replied with a little smile. The words were harsh, but her tone was teasing. Hana looked at her carefully, and Brianna winked.

 

“What? I think pirates are cool. Plus, there’s nothing wrong with a little tenacity,” Brianna defended, shrugging.

 

Hana shook her head. “Remind me to schedule a pirate themed party next time… and invite Olivia?”

 

Brianna shook her head. “I don’t like her that much, but she doesn’t stop at anything, and you have to admire that.”

 

The starting pistol fired, and the girls watched as the sails inflated, ballooning out. Hana was smiling excitedly, and she murmured to herself, “There they go.” The boats sailed so quickly, it put their earlier race to shame. The boats moved across the water with a seeming effortless glide. It was peaceful being here with Hana, the salty air surrounding them, the gentle lapping of the water under the boat.  
  
“How far out do they go?” Brianna asked, shooting Hana a quizzical look. They has already been watching for almost half an hour.

 

“Quite a ways,” Hana replied, looking out at the sea. “We won’t see them again for another couple hours. It’s a long race.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“In the meantime… want to take the boat out for a race?”

 

“Absolutely!” Brianna said, picking up her champagne flute again. Hana called over one of the staff members and told him to get the boat onto the water. Within minutes, they were cruising along the beautiful water, the aquamarine waves sparkling under the sunlight.

 

* * *

 

 

The girls spent the entire afternoon on the boat, helping themselves to all the appetizers, more champagne, and a sun-soaked nap. When they woke up, they made the decision to switch to water and finish watching the race.

 

“The view is amazing,” Brianna set from the overstuffed chair. She had kicked off her shoes and curled her legs up under her, sipping her champagne and letting her muscles unwind. This girl time was exactly what she needed, and basking under the sun certainly didn’t hurt.

  
“I’m glad you’re enjoying it. Brianna… thank you for coming to my party.”

 

“Honestly, I should be thanking you for this party. And for letting me whine about this whole social season.”

 

“Oh, please. You’ve been there for me every step of the way, and you’re the one who even made this a party. Otherwise it would’ve just been an afternoon of me crying into my champagne.”

 

Brianna clicked her tongue sadly. “What a terrible thought.” Her grin was devilish, but it fell quickly as she moved to the railing excitedly. The first of the returning sailboats were appearing, and she strained to see her pirate flag boat.

 

“The boats are back!” she informed Hana, who joined her at the railing.

  
“Let’s head back to see the winner,” Hana said, and the staff moved quickly to get Seas the Day moving back to the docks.

 

* * *

 

 

They made it just in time to see the winner cross the finish line, and Brianna wouldn’t trade Hana’s shocked face for anything else.

 

“Pirate sails won,” she announced numbly as Brianna nudged her excitedly.

 

“Called it!”

 

They watched in delight as King Constantine and Prince Liam greeted the winners, a redheaded woman (Olivia 2.0?) and an intensely tall man. The royals presented the winners with a medal and a wreath, moving down the line to shake everyone’s hand.

 

“Look at those smiles,” Brianna said softly, her eyes on Prince Liam’s radiant grin. He was the perfect picture of a prince, and she felt a tug of admiration.

 

“Yeah…” Hana frowned sadly. Brianna turned, eyeing her, and Hana let out a little sigh.

  
Brianna bumped her friend with her hip. “What’s wrong?”

 

“They look so happy. It’s just…” Hana let out a shaky breath. “My whole life, I’ve done nothing but lose.”

 

“But you’re amazing at _everything_.”

 

“Nothing that really counts. I lost my fiancé. I lost my family’s respect,” she said, ticking them off on her fingers. “They think I’m a complete failure.

 

“You don’t need praise from your parents,” Brianna replied carefully. Her whole life she always sought approval from her father so she could understand Hana’s frustration. Still, Brianna hoped that her words resonated with Hana because they were true. Although she hadn’t met them, Brianna felt that Hana’s parents likely weren’t going to ever be content with their daughter’s life.  
  
She noticed Hana looked dubious, and Brianna rubbed at her nose nervously. Seeing Hana, seeing the way she needed that approval, it reminded her of the weeks that followed after she made the choice to leave Hunter.

 

* * *

* * *

 

_And so, she had left him. It wasn’t easy. She was on the fringe of society again, but she felt… free. Confused. Scared. Lonely. Anxious. But free._

_Brianna lit a cigarette, a rare occasion, and squished herself out onto the balcony of her apartment. Really, it was a small square hardly big enough for a lawn chair, but she sank into it grateful. The acrid smoke burned her lungs, but she inhaled gratefully. Somewhere along the line, things had deteriorated with Hunter to the point that she couldn’t imagine ever putting the broken fragments of herself back together… but she had to try._

_  
It was cliché, but all she could think of was that speech from the medical TV drama where one character explained that her ex-fiancé took pieces of her, slowly but surely, over time until she wasn’t herself anymore. That’s how Brianna felt. She was always so self-assured, but now she was this timid little thing, battered and worn. Tears shimmered in her eyes and she let them fall, cooling her cheeks as they raced across her skin._

_Hunter needed her to be a person that she didn’t want to be. In university he had been all the things she usually fell for, charming, quick witted, independent. Things had been great until they moved out together… and now she was here. In a shitty apartment. Alone._

_She stubbed her cigarette out on the ground. She was happier now. She never thought that would be possible. Brianna was able to see that there was so much to experience, so much that she had missed out on… her only regret was that it would all have to come in due time and she couldn’t force it. She didn’t care what Hunter thought of her any more, or those high society bitches. They never cared about her, so why had she exhausted herself over them?_

 

_It reminded her of that Fight Club quote… it’s only after we have lost everything that we are free to do anything. But she hadn’t lost anything, not really._

 

* * *

* * *

 

 

Brianna blinked away the tears in her eyes and noticed Hana was still staring vacantly out at the water. Brianna offered her friend a soft smile. “Once you realize that other people’s approval doesn’t matter, then it’s easy to see that the only person you need to please is yourself.”

  
“There is wisdom in that…” Hana said, searching her friend’s face. There was something emotional lurking in Brianna’s husky voice, and it seemed Hana recognized that Brianna was speaking from somewhere raw.  
  
Hana cleared her throat, her cheeks pink. “But I wouldn’t mind some praise from those close to me… like you, Brianna.”

 

Brianna smiled softly at her friend. Of course not. Those words of praise from Hunter were golden in their rarity, and it made them so much more special in Brianna’s warped mind.

 

“You know, we could have our own victory celebration right now,” Brianna said coyly as she slinked over to a bucket, pulling out a bottle of champagne.

  
“For what?”

 

“We’re going to celebrate just because.” Brianna lifted the bottle above her head, singing in an awful falsetto, “Sometimes you just gotta celebraaaaate!”

 

The cork popped and Hana squealed as the champagne overflowed from the bottle, spilling onto the deck. Brianna grabbed two glasses, filling them both hastily. She offered one to Hana and they clinked cups gently.

 

“Cheers,” they both said, smiling as they sipped the ice-cold bubbles. It was the perfect end to their afternoon, and Hana looked down sadly.

 

“We’re nearly back to the shore. I can’t believe the regatta is already over! I was really dreading today, but thanks to you it was way more fun than I ever expected.”

 

“I had fun too,” Brianna agreed, tilting her head back to look at the cloudless sky.

 

“Good.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Back to reality. Brianna felt soothed and relaxed as she joined the other suitors on the dock with Hana. The warm buzz she had from all the champagne didn’t hurt, either.

 

“Now the _real_ party begins,” Hana grinned wickedly.

 

“Maxwell already told me how excited he is for the beach party…”

  
Olivia rolled her eyes. “It’s not just a party. It’s an extravaganza!”

 

“The press will certainly be in attendance…” Kiara agreed, looking to Penelope, who nodded, her eyes shining.

 

“And it means more time with the prince, too.”

 

Brianna took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She was relaxed, buzzed, and committed to wooing Liam. She looked to Olivia, shooting her a big grin.

 

_Just try and stop me._

* * *

* * *

 

 


	10. Chapter Ten: And Finally, I’m Falling For You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brianna and the gang dig into some barbeque before she takes the plunge with Liam. 
> 
> **NSFW: Language, Light Sexual Content**

* * *

* * *

Everyone was clustered on the docks but they started breaking away to get ready for the party. _The extravaganza_ , Brianna mentally corrected herself, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. Hana and Maxwell had broken off, and Maxwell waved at her to join them. Brianna picked up the pace and joined their conversation with a little bounce in her step. She was excited to spend the rest of the day on the beach, it seemed like a great way to relax… if she was honest, it sounded a little more informal than a stuffy dance.

 

“Ready for the extravaganza?” Maxwell asked, wiggling his eyebrows excitedly at Brianna. There was a teasing smile spreading, and she looked to Hana curiously.

 

“I… think so?” Brianna’s eyes narrowed at Hana and darted back and forth between the pair. “Why? Is there something I should have prepped? Will the press be there?”  
  
Maxwell laughed, shaking his head quickly. “Nope! It’s just a fun party on one of the most gorgeous private beaches in the area!”

 

“That sounds amazing,” Hana sighed happily. “And the water’s so unbelievably beautiful… I can’t wait to get out of this dress and into my bikini!”

 

Maxwell smacked his forehead dramatically. “I knew I was forgetting something. Brianna, you didn’t happen to bring a swimsuit, did you?”

  
Brianna put her hands on her hips, but Maxwell cut her off.

  
“Never mind, we can buy one on the way!”

 

“Okay….” Brianna lowered her arms, feeling a little frustrated. She certainly wasn’t rich, and the money that Liam had put on her account certainly wouldn’t last more than one or two outfits. Besides, they weren’t even shopping at the Cordonian palace boutique. She didn’t want to discuss their financial issues in front of Hana, out of respect for House Ramsford. “Hana, why don’t you go on ahead? We’ll see you at the beach!”

  
“See you!” Hana said, waving to the pair as she skipped away.

 

Maxwell shrugged, his cheeks red with embarrassment. “Look, I am _so_ sorry. I bet we can duck in there,” he pointed to a little shop just past the docks, “and I’ll go halvsies with you. Deal?”

 

“Deal,” she said, slapping his hand in a high-five.

 

* * *

 

 

Brianna stepped out of the shop, exhaling excitedly. They had found a white bikini and a sheer turquoise cover up with silver embellishments. It was plunging and short, showing off her bathing suit, and it made her feel so flirty. Perfect for showing Olivia that Prince Liam had eyes for other women—Olivia certainly wasn’t getting a ring on her finger any time soon.

 

“That… looks good one you,” Maxwell managed, his eyes focusing intensely on hers. It was clear he was avoiding looking down, and the thought made her lips tug into a smile. In all honesty, it made her feel good. Brianna knew she was attractive, but she always felt she was a little too short and about ten pounds too heavy. She had always wanted to be lithe and petite like Hana, but instead she was short and a little too voluptuous—well, she thought at least. Seeing that even Maxwell appreciated her body was a boost to her confidence.

 

“Thanks.”

 

“Now, we better get you to this fancy beach party before we miss all the fun!” he said loudly, turning on his heel and walking quickly back to the beach.

 

“Let’s go!” she agreed, catching up to him as her flip flops slapped against the wooden dock.

 

* * *

 

  
After a couple minutes of walking in relative silence, Maxwell led her down a path past the docks where the regatta was held. They crossed a little bridge and came to a secluded little beach. It was really gorgeous with foliage exploding in the corner, contrasting with the sapphire sky.

  
“Alright, where’s Liam at?” Brianna said, bouncing up on the balls of her feet and peeking around the groups of people clumping up into their own conversations. She could see Olivia’s red hair reflecting the sun as she chatted animatedly with Penelope, who seemed a little bored. King Constantine was laughing with an elderly man and she could see Hana nodding intensely at something Kiara was saying.

 

“Looks like he’s tied up with the queen and Madeleine right now,” Maxwell said, tilting his head to where they were chatting in the distance.

  
“Should I try to make a move?” she asked, working quickly to tie her hair up into a loose ponytail. The ends of her hair tickled her shoulders and back, and she shivered despite the heat of the sun.

 

“Better to bide your time,” he replied, and she frowned. “You’ll likely get only one shot at spending time with him today. Better to do it when Queen Regina’s not around. In the meantime, we might as well eat!”

 

Brianna chuckled, following him to the buffet. She was tired of only getting to interact with Liam for minutes at a time, but she tried to take Hana’s advice and see it from the prince’s perspective. It must be exhausting for him to have to exert high energy for all of his suitors, especially under the immense pressure of his situation.

 

“Have you tried the appetizers?” Hana asked kindly, and Brianna jumped a little. She had been thinking, staring off in to space right next to the buffet table.  
  
”What are they?” Maxwell asked, loading his cauliflower pieces with a creamy looking cheese sauce.

 

“Some kind of avant-garde, gourmet seafood thing…” she said with a tiny shrug. They all turned to look at the food… it seemed to be a whipped seafood mousse decorated with caviar in a clamshell. There was a fish tail sticking out, and it looked disgusting.  
  
“They seem a little… fishy. Literally,” Brianna said flatly, wrinkling her nose.

 

“It’s a bit high-end,” Hana conceded, “but we should give it a try!”

 

“I’m a fan of adventurous tastes, but I’m pretty sure this is still moving,” Brianna noted, poking one of the shells delicately. “I think it just wriggled.”

 

“That means it’s fresh?” Hana responded questioningly.

 

Maxwell stuck out his tongue, laughing, but Brianna sighed and picked up a shell. She cleared her throat. “True. Well, here goes…” she said, clinking shells with Hana and Maxwell. They downed the food like a shot of alcohol, opting to take the fish tails out, and Maxwell grinned.

 

“Mmm, squishy!” he said.

 

“Well, it tastes like caviar… and very expensive caviar, at that!” Hana announced with a proud smile.

 

“Kind of like a fresh, salty sea Jell-O…” Brianna said, setting the shell down delicately. It wasn’t as bad as she had been anticipating, but she wouldn’t have another. As she turned away from the table, she saw Drake standing by a picnic table loaded with food. He noticed her looking and waved the group over. Brianna led them over, and as they approached she could see Drake was excited. She was too, but for all the wrong reasons.

 

 _He didn’t want her._  
  
She would have to move past that, but it was nearly impossible. The more she knew that she shouldn’t want him, the harder it was to resist her unbidden feelings. Brianna had been mortified when he told her that they couldn’t happen, but what else was she supposed to do? She had to continue with the social season, seeing him all the time. Now here he was again, barging into her thoughts.

 

“I hope you all came hungry,” he said, waving to the food with a rare smile, “because the real food has arrived.”

 

“There’s so much of it…” Maxwell said dreamily.

 

Hana wrinkled her nose curiously, peeking around the table. “Is this barbeque?”

 

“Oh yes,” Drake chuckled. “Classic Americana. You’ve got your pulled pork, chicken kebabs, brisket, ribs, vegetables, and sauces unique to regions around the world.” He pointed to each item as he spoke about them, lighting up as he pointed to a tower of buns and a pot of steaming meat. “And you can’t forget the classic sloppy joe.”

 

“A… what?” Hana asked, her laughter nervous.

 

“Seasoned ground beef with onions, tomato sauce, and whatever else you feel like throwing in there,” Drake informed her, nodding proudly.

 

“You had me at ‘not fish’,” Maxwell assured him. He grabbed a plate and began loading up. Brianna smiled proudly as she saw Maxwell spear some carrots and broccoli onto his plate before covering them with ribs.

  
“It looks messy…” Hana said, eyeing Maxwell as he spooned the sloppy joe mix onto a bun, “but intriguing.”

 

“I love sloppy joes,” Brianna grinned, picking up a plate. “They’re basically all I ate through middle school. I haven’t had one in ages.”

 

“Thank you, Richardson.” That damned uneven smirk. “Somebody else around here can appreciate a simple dish.”

  
“Us ‘Mericans gotta stick together,” Brianna agreed in an over the top, thick Southern accent. Hana looked appalled but intrigued.

 

“It does seem a little strange to have such casual food here,” Hana said, looking back to the formal buffet table.

 

“Liam thought Richardson would appreciate it. A little taste of home,” Drake said with a shrug.

 

Brianna stopped adding vegetables to her plate, looking up. “Wait, this was Liam’s idea?”

 

“Mostly. From a purely selfish angle, I’m not exactly a caviar and oysters kind of guy, so…” he trailed off.

 

“Got it,” Brianna nodded, setting a bun on her plate. She was touched that Liam was thinking of her like that, and had actively arranged this with Drake to make her more comfortable. It was incredibly thoughtful and just… well, sweet. She picked up Drake’s vibes loud and clear, too, that he wasn’t doing it for her, it was Liam, whatever.  
  
“Anyway, let’s dig in. I _love_ a good barbeque,” Drake said, motioning for Brianna to hurry up at the pot of meat. She laughed and spooned some of the ground beef mixture onto her bun and stepped aside. Drake sighed happily as he licked barbeque sauce off his fingers, dumping a rack of ribs on his plate.

 

“Reminds me of cookouts on the lawn or summers with family…”

 

“Aww, Drake, that’s actually kind of sweet,” Brianna cooed, bumping her hip into his.

 

“It is not,” he replied quickly, but she could see the light in his eyes and the way his lips were dying to smile. “Now, would you rather talk or would you rather eat?”

 

“Let’s eat,” she agreed, popping a cherry tomato in her mouth. “I’m starving.”

 

“Sweet relief,” Maxwell said. Brianna turned to look at him and burst out laughing. His face was covered with barbeque sauce, and several bones, picked clean, adorned his dwindling plate. The rest of the group joined in.

 

Hana made herself a very small, contained sloppy joe—if there was such a thing as a neat joe, she’d have cornered the market. “Well, I can give it a try,” she said, peering at the bun skeptically. “So… how does one eat a sloppy joe? Utensils or hands?”

 

“It’s your choice,” Drake said.

 

“There’s no protocol? How are you supposed to elegantly eat at social gatherings?” Hana looked downright offended by this possibility, and Brianna looked skyward with a grin. She loved how different she and Hana were, but it was hard not to tease her sometimes.

 

“It’s a sloppy joe. There’s not going to be anything elegant about this,” he said, grabbing his own sloppy joe with his hands and taking a huge bite. The ground beef mixture spilled onto his plate, on top of his chicken kebabs, while Hana watched in quiet horror.

 

“Oh my…” she said, clicking her tongue. She looked disappointed.

 

“You just have to stop caring what everyone thinks, Hana. Like this.” Maxwell gave her a grin through all of the sauce, and shoved a huge piece of brisket into his mouth, chewing furiously.

 

“Now you’re getting it,” Drake nodded seriously.

 

“I think my parents would murder me if they saw me doing that,” Hana let out a tinkling laugh. She grabbed a plastic fork and knife and began  cutting out a wedge of the sloppy joe. Once she popped it in her mouth. Hana’s eyes grew wide, and she smiled in amazement. “Oh, this is _delicious_.”  
  
“Mmmmm!” Maxwell’s mouth was full, and they watched him expectantly as he swallowed with a dramatic flair. “Rich, tangy, sweet… and sooooo good!”

 

Brianna mumbled an agreement through bites of her sloppy joe. Hana looked pleased as she devoured the rest of her sloppy joe, and Drake nodded in satisfaction.

 

“I accept tokens of appreciation in cash, credit, or cheque,” he said, his eyes lingering on Brianna. She had been licking sauce off her thumb, and she met his eyes in surprise. There was a little second where she softened her lips around her thumb and moved it slowly out of her mouth, unable to resist teasing him. She knew it was wrong. Drake seemed visibly agitated by it as he broke the eye contact. Her eyes moved to Hana, who smiled at her with sauce on her lips. Brianna let out a snort of laughter, and Hana’s smile broadened.

  
“…what?” Hana asked innocently, her eye wide and innocent.

 

“You, uh… you’re looking pretty saucy there, Hana,” she teased, wiggling her eyebrows like Maxwell did. Hana’s hands flew to cover her face, but she smeared the sauce across her mouth instead.

 

“ _Ohmygosh!_ ” she whispered loudly, and her chin trembled slightly. Brianna felt that it was a bit of an overreaction, but she quickly reprimanded herself for thinking of her friend negatively like that. Hana spent her whole life hinging on the right thing to do, the proper procedures and etiquette to follow. If Brianna had stayed with Hunter, she couldn’t imagine herself reacting any differently.

  
“Don’t worry Hana. Barbecue sauce is a good look for you,” she promised with a smile.

 

Hana broke into an appreciative smile. “This may not be quite as embarrassing as the time I accidentally applied blush instead of powder to half my face.” She paused to dab her mouth with a napkin, and Brianna flashed her a thumbs up.

 

“Hey, according to Drake, getting messy is half the point!” Maxwell said as he nibbled on a rib.

  
“Exactly,” Drake agreed.

 

“Well, Maxwell, it looks like a sauce container exploded on you, so mission accomplished,” Brianna laughed.

 

The rest of the meal dissolved into pleasant conversations and second helpings. Brianna learned that Drake’s family would have an annual barbeque and every year someone had to add something new until they were cooking twenty different dishes. Hana finished her story about the blush and powder incident. The group laughed, ate, and enjoyed the sunshine. When the barbeque platter was nearly empty, they were all patting their stomachs and feeling satiated.

 

 Maxwell had found his way to the warm sand, and he was laying on his back, looking up at the sky. “That was sooooo good…” he sang lazily.

 

“I’ll have to ask the chefs back home to add barbeque chicken to the rotation,” Hana admitted with a shy smile.

 

“I don’t know about you guys, but I’m ready to enjoy the water.” Drake was standing, looking out at the waves lapping the shore. The water did look inviting, and it would likely be refreshing in the face of this unrelenting heat.

 

“I’m ready to stretch out like a beached whale,” Maxwell said.  
  
“You’re ready to? What are you doing now?” Brianna asked, bumping Maxwell with her bare foot. He swatted her away unhurriedly.

 

“Suit yourself,” Drake said. “You coming with me, Richardson? Hana?”

 

“Hang on! We need to put on sunscreen before we go.” Hana was already digging around in her bag, and Brianna caught Drake’s eye.

 

“Do we really?” he asked flatly.

 

“ _I_ would love some sunscreen,” Brianna said pointedly, holding out her arm. She had always loved her creamy, fair complexion. Well, she couldn’t really tan and seemed to burn instead, so she had learned to love sunscreen, but still.

  
“Luckily, I brought enough for everyone!” Hana announced, holding up a luxury bottle of sunscreen boasting an SPF of 150. She set it down and tugged off her dress, revealing a bikini underneath. Drake seemed to linger by the table, taking his shirt off with his back facing the group. Brianna picked up the bottle of sunscreen and made her way over to Drake, nearly mesmerized by the broad shoulders and muscles of his well-defined back.

 

 _Fuck._  
  
How was she ever supposed to stay away from him? How could he want her to? Couldn’t he feel what happened to the air between them when they were together?  
  
“Here, I’ll do you…” she said, trailing off. She cleared her throat. “Your back. I’ll get your back with sunscreen.”

 

“This really doesn’t seem necessary,” he sighed. “Can you even reach, Richardson?”

 

“Sun safety is no joke!” she scolded, staring up at his tanned skin. “Besides, I’m not that much shorter than you.”

 

They chuckled together as that was clearly untrue, but she squirted some of the lotion onto her hands and applied it to his shoulders anyway (on her tip toes). She worked it into his back, admiring the way her hands glided across his bare skin, reveling in the heat of his skin against her fingers.

 

_Does this guy work out daily? How can someone have such a nice back?_

 

“Is the lady satisfied?” Drake asked after a few minutes, and Brianna lifted her hands quickly, realizing that she had been lingering on his skin.

 

“Put some on your face, or you’ll burn there.”  
  
Drake turned, and she swiped his nose with sunscreen. He smiled softly, rubbing it into his skin as he kept his eyes focused on her face. She was trying hard not to stare openly at his broad chest. Her fingers longed to trace every ridge of his abdomen, but she held them clasped in front of her instead.

 

“Then you probably want me to put some on your back?” he asked tonelessly.

  
“Actually, yes, I do.”

 

“You’re killing me, Richardson.”  
  
They stared at each other for a moment, and Brianna shook her head. She knew he was trying to play it off like she was annoying him with her precaution, but she felt a different context of his words. Brianna was so confused. It seemed like he was different from their night in the wine cellar, but she didn’t know which version of his feelings was true. She turned wordlessly, slipping out of her cover up, and his hands massaged the lotion into her back. His strong hands ran the length of her body. They were caught in this weird trance, but Hana broke it by speaking, and Drake yanked his hands off her skin as if touching her pained him.

  
“Ready to go?” Hana asked, bouncing over.

 

“More than ready,” Drake agreed. He started walking to the water, pausing to look back at Brianna. “I hope you’re not wearing your swimsuit for nothing, Richardson.”

 

He picked up a little jog before she could respond. “Who’s joining me?”

 

“Me!” Hana giggled, following him with an adorable bounce.

 

“Let’s do this!” Brianna agreed, following them with a laugh. Drake was already running into the water, his laughter free and unabashed as the waves kissed his tanned skin. The girls followed him, and Brianna let out an excited yelp as the cold water lapped at her ankles and sprayed onto her legs.

 

“Woooooo!”

 

“It’s colder than I thought,” Hana looked at Brianna, her lips parted in shock.

 

“You just need to adjust. Here, let me help,” Drake offered with a devilish grin as he bent over and splashed water into Hana’s face.

  
Hana laughed, spitting the water out and wiping her hair out of her face. “That was a cheap shot.” She looked upset, but coyly dipped over, cupped her hands, and brought a stream of water directly into Drake’s face.

 

“Now we’re talking,” he said, shaking his head to get the wet strands of hair out of his face. His hair was wet and flopped in an adorably childlike way. Drake caught Brianna staring and swung his arm in the water, trying to splash her, but fell short.

  
“He’s declaring war!” Hana squealed.

 

“It was a warning shot,” he corrected.

 

Brianna smiled sweetly at him and wound up her arms, launching a big splash toward Drake. It hit his chest and face, and he sputtered out water, grinning. With a flourish, he fell back into the water dramatically.

 

“Get him!” Hana cheered, her hand forming a circle around her mouth to amplify her cheerleading. She joined in, and soon the girls were bombarding Drake from two sides.  
  
“Okay…” he trailed off, coughing, “I get it.”

 

“Don’t mess with these water cannons,” Brianna warned, holding her arm out and flexing.

 

“While we’re having competitions, let’s race, Richardson.”

 

She eyed Drake up skeptically, her lips curving up. “You’re a glutton for punishment today.”

 

“We’ll see how scary you are without Hana helping you out.”

 

“Alright,” she grinned. “You’re on.”

  
“I’ll be the judge!” Hana announced.

 

Drake stepped forward and scanned the horizon, pointing at the far end of the beach. “We’ll swim to the far end of the beach and back to these rocks.”

 

“Agreed,” Brianna nodded, following him to line up near the rocks.

 

“Ready, set… channel your inner mermaid!” Hana called with a giggle.

 

A flurry of splashes erupted as Brianna and Drake launched themselves into the water. Unsurprisingly, Drake got an early lead, his strong arms cutting through the water. Brianna focused her strength into her limbs, feeling the fluidity of her motions as she cut through the sparkling ocean.  
  
_Yes! Take that, you big, muscular man. Can’t compete with the sleek woman._

Drake reached the far end of the beach just before her, and she was able to get close enough to him to see his feet. She reached out, her fingers grazing his ankle, and kicked faster until her hand was able to wrap around his ankle and tug him back a little.

 

“Hey! What was that?”

 

“Seaweed?” she suggested, pushing herself to keep moving. Her little maneuver slowed him down long enough so that they fell neck-and-neck as they turned around and pushed toward the rocks.

 

“I hope you’re ready to lose, Drake!” she yelled, propelling her body forward and kicking furiously. Her muscles were aching and burning as they neared the finish line. With a grit of her teeth, she pushed through it and exhaled roughly through her nose.  
  
_Not gonna lose to Drake…_

 

Drake seemed to be growing tired, and she pushed past him with a visible struggle.  Immediately she flopped onto the ground, wiping salty water from her face. She sat up in the sand, panting, as she looked to Hana who was grinning at her.

 

“Brianna wins!” Hana announced proudly.

 

“Yes!” she shouted, leaning back into the sand and weakly pumping her arm.

 

“I thought I had it.” Drake looked over at her and he was frowning, and Brianna offered him a quick fake pout followed by a flash of her tongue.

 

Hana held a hand out to Brianna to lift her up. “Brianna, in celebration of your victory, I want to give you something.”  
  
“Is it a treasure chest?” Brianna asked breathlessly, wiping the sand from her body. It was a fruitless effort, but she felt like she should try.

 

“You’ll have to wait and see,” Hana hummed, hopping into the water. Brianna could see her diving deep below the surface, graceful as ever. She resurfaced after a moment, beaming. As she stepped out of the water, she held out a brightly coloured seashell in the palm of her hand.

 

“Wow…” Brianna exhaled, holding out her hand as Hana pressed the shell into her palm. The colours danced under the sun, a prismatic blend of yellow, pink, and green.  
  
“Surprise.”

 

“Hana, how did you find this?”

 

“I saw it sitting at the bottom while you were racing. They’re quite common in this area.”

 

“It’s so pretty.”

 

Drake cleared his throat. They turned and Brianna bit her lip in amusement as she saw him standing with his arms folded stubbornly. “How come I don’t get anything?” he looked offended.

 

“Should’ve swam faster,” Brianna shrugged gently, her face a picture of teasing smugness.

 

“Oh, I know!” Hana exclaimed. She jogged to the water, dove in, and resurfaced quickly. She was like a mermaid, moving so fluidly and quickly. In her tiny hands she held a sand dollar which she handed to Drake triumphantly. “For you.”

 

Drake took it reluctantly, frowning as he examined it between his fingers. “What am I supposed to do with this?”

 

“You should wear it as a hat,” Brianna deadpanned.

 

“That’s stupid,” he replied quickly. “This thing is stupid.”

 

“Your loss. It would’ve made a great hat… like a cute sand beret,” Brianna sighed.

 

“Whatever you say, Richardson.” He bent down and set the sound dollar on the shore, and they watched the tide lap it up greedily.

 

“I’m starting to feel cold, so I think it’s time for some sunbathing,” Hana said, looking around for a good spot to relax.

  
“Yeah. I’m feeling pretty done here myself,” Drake agreed.

 

“It was nice to get in the water for a bit though. I should wash this sand off,” Brianna said with a chuckle. She moved back to the water, letting the waves lap over her once more before making her way back to the beach where Maxwell was sitting on a towel, a fresh one next to him for her. She smiled appreciatively, wringing out her wet hair as she plopped beside him.

 

“You seem a little overdressed for the beach,” she said, laying down on the towel and carefully readjusting her bikini.

 

“Huh?” he asked, looking down at her in confusion.

  
  
“Don’t you want to take off your shirt?” Brianna asked, reaching her hand out to tug on his button up.

 

“No can do. Can’t risk burning up. No SPF in the world is strong enough to protect me.”

  
  
“Well, sun safety is important.”

 

“More like Bertrand would be mortified if I were to appear at royal functions beet red.”

 

They chuckled, and Brianna let herself relax against the towel, enjoying the warm rays of the sun for a moment as she thought about Maxwell and his brother. Their dynamic was an odd one, and it occasionally made her feel like there was some other tension going on between them.

  
“Does Bertrand ruin everything for you?” she asked softly, and Maxwell scoffed.

 

“Just most things,” he grinned. “But I’m having fun now that you’re here.” He settled onto his own towel, turning to face her. “Are you having a good time?”

 

“It’s nice to take a break from competing for the prince,” she said carefully. She didn’t want to make him think that she was underestimating the financial implications of her sponsorship, but at the same time it felt wrong to lie to Maxwell. “I don’t think I’ve gotten too much down time since we got here… It’s just been a whirlwind of balls, travelling, and events. This is nice.”

  
“It’s good to rest up,” Maxwell agreed hesitantly, “although… I do see another opportunity for you. Look over there.”

 

She felt him nudging her, and she sat up a little, looking over to the buffet table. Penelope was dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief, and it made Brianna’s heart ache in empathy. Brianna had always been the kind of person to cry when someone near her was upset, and her nose was prickling just by seeing Penelope.

 

“Looks like she’s having a hard day,” Maxwell murmured.

 

“Yeah, poor Penelope…”

 

“This could be your big chance to get her on your side! Remember, competitors or not, you’re going to need the court to think well of you if you’re going to be the next queen. So get over there and charm her!”

 

Maxwell pushed her off the towel gently and Brianna laughed, standing up and holding her hands out as if to say ‘okay, okay’. She slipped her cover up back on and moved over to the table where Penelope stood.

 

“Hello, Penelope.”

 

“Oh, it’s you.” Penelope sniffed, looking behind her.

  
“Is that any way to greet a friend?” Brianna asked softly, smiling in what she hoped to be a comforting way.

  
“We’re not friends!” Penelope said in shock, her brows laced together in confusion. “Er… are we?”

 

“Perhaps not _technically_ ,” Brianna conceded, “but I’d like to be friends. It seems like you’re having a difficult time today.”

 

Penelope sighed. “I suppose it’s obvious, isn’t it? I got terribly seasick from the regatta and now I’ll be stuck here on this beach in the sun for hours…” She looked to Brianna sadly. “My advisors said I only needed to look pretty at the balls and flirt with the prince, but it hasn’t gone that way at all. Between you, Olivia, and Madeleine… I don’t have any chance at all. What’s the point of even staying here?”  
  
“Penelope, there’s more to this than just the prince,” Brianna said gently, her tone a little reproachful.  
  
“Huh? Like what?”

 

“Like forming friendships and bonds with the other women here.”

 

“I don’t know…” Penelope was frowning, her shoulders hunched.  
  
“Even though we’re competing now, it won’t always be that way. One of us will marry the prince, and then it’s over. We should at least try to get something more out of it, don’t you think?” Brianna asked.

 

“That sounds right… but I—” Penelope’s gaze had drifted off of Brianna’s, and her eyes went wide and she dropped her plate of appetizers.

  
Brianna whipped around to follow Penelope’s line of sight, feeling anxious and confused. What was wrong?  
  
“Eek! Oh my goodness, help! Something is _attacking_ me!”

 

Brianna looked down after a moment, and saw a sand crab latched onto Penelope’s foot. She bent down quickly, holding the crab’s claws firmly. “Come here, little guy…” she mumbled as she deftly unhooked the claws and pushed the crab away from the table.

 

“Brianna, that was…” Penelope exhaled, her smile radiant. “Amazing. You _saved_ me!”

 

“Hey, you just survived being attacked by a vicious sand crab. Maybe you’re tougher than you think.”

 

“Maybe,” she agreed quietly, “but I’m not going to win the prince’s heart. I’m going to leave here a failure.”

 

Brianna crossed her arms. “Hardly. Not getting a man doesn’t mean _shit_ Penelope. I mean that. You don’t need him to be validated. Besides, you can still use your time here to your best advantage.”

 

“And what’s that?”

 

“By making allies. Help me get the court to see me favorably, and when I’m queen, I’ll remember that you were there for me.” Brianna felt a little bad about discussing the political side of the social season like this, but she knew that she was loyal and genuine. She truly believed that this was the best use of Penelope’s remaining time here.

 

“I suppose I could put in a good word for you here and there,” Penelope agreed with a tiny smile.

 

“Thank you,” Brianna grinned as Penelope walked away. She turned back to Maxwell and nearly ran into Liam. She faltered and stepped backward, eyes wide in surprise.

  
“Brianna, there you are.”

 

“Looking for me?” she asked shyly, looking up at him through her eyelashes.

 

“Yeah. I brought you a drink…” he said, holding out the glass. It was amber with mint leaves poking out, and the glass had condensation on it already. “It’s hot out, so I thought you’d like something refreshing.”

 

Brianna reached out and accepted the glass, taking a sip appreciatively. It was a mint lemonade, oddly refreshing, and she smiled at him

 

“Mmmm, perfect. Tart and sugary with a little kick.”

 

“Just like you.”

 

“I’m ‘tart’?” she asked, raising her free hand to put the word in air quotes. Her lips were curving into a teasing smile.

 

“In a way,” he replied smoothly. “You certainly have an interesting way of letting your opinions be known.”

 

“Uh-huh. Not hearing the compliment yet…”

 

Liam paused. “And you’re incredibly sweet?”

 

“Awe, thanks!” she guffawed sarcastically. “Now, I can’t believe you’d come all the way to see me just to give me a drink… though you did organize a barbeque just for me. Well, maybe a little for Drake, too.” Brianna smiled warmly at him. “Thanks for that, by the way.”

 

“So what if I did come here just to give you a drink? It’s all part of the royal service,” he nodded solemnly. The façade crumbled shortly and he was smiling. “You’re most welcome for that, by the way.”

 

“Oh really? What other services can I expect from the Crown Prince of Cordonia?”

 

“Well…” he paused. “To be honest, I was looking for you because I wanted to take you somewhere… I know of a special place called the Forgotten Falls. It’s a short hike from here, but it’s gorgeous.”

 

“Is it the next stop today?” Brianna asked with a forced pleasant tone. She was, quite honest, very tired, and hiking to the falls with everyone wasn’t something she was excited about doing.

 

“Well, not for everyone,” he replied with a low voice. “I used to go there often as a kid. It’s a really special place to me. I don’t want to share it with just anyone… but it would mean a lot to me to share it with you.”

 

Brianna’s mouth popped open in surprise, and she felt her cheeks prick with heat under his passionate gaze. Liam was so unabashed with his feelings, and it was so… warm. Being with him felt like being bathed in the sun.

 

“I’d like to go there with you now, if you’re up for it,” Liam said, watching her closely.

 

“Not to mention that it’d be some time alone together.”

 

His face broke into a shameless grin, and she was struck by the unbelievable handsomeness of his features. “Well, yes, there’s that too.”

 

“I’d love to go to the Forgotten Falls with you.”

 

“I’m glad you said that.”

 

Brianna finished her drink and set it down, picking her way to her towel. She waved to Maxwell quickly and slipped on her flip flops, moving back to where Liam was waiting. He took her hand and led her past the beach and through some foliage.  
  
“All I have are my flip flops. Will that be okay?” she asked, looking down at her red toenails gleaming up at her, bare in her sandals.

  
“Definitely.”

 

* * *

 

 

The trek was fairly short, and the climb was very manageable. As she pulled herself up over the final ledge, she let out a long, slow breath. The clearing was stunning beyond belief. There was a waterfall on one edge, feeding into a pool of pristine water. The area was thick with shrubs, creating a private space that truly felt like a little piece of paradise.

 

“Here we are… the Forgotten Falls. Do you like it?” he asked her nervously.

 

“It’s amazing,” she exhaled slowly, looking around with a light in her eyes.  
  
He grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently. She looked at him with a smile, and Liam looked like he wanted to kiss her for a moment, but he cleared his throat quietly instead.

 

“I knew you’d love it as much as I do. There’s a legend about how this waterfall came to be. It’s said that hundreds of years ago, there were two lovers from warring clans. They were forbidden from being together, but they would meet here, at this hidden cove, and make their plans to run away together. When the day came for them to leave, they vowed to meet here at dawn. When dawn came, the woman waited and waited, but her lover never appeared.” Liam’s voice was confident, but it trickled off in strength at the end.

 

Selfishly, Brianna thought of her and Drake. It was unreasonable, yes, but he was the first person to come to her mind with this story. Was she doomed to be the woman who waited and waited for him to change his mind? She swallowed roughly to fight her emotions. Why couldn’t she be happy here with Liam right now? A little part of her knew she wasn’t being fair—she couldn’t be happy here right now because she wasn’t giving Liam a real chance. Brianna resolved to change that today. It was her only option, really.

 

“They say he was caught by her people and killed, but she never had the heart to leave this spot. So, she knelt on the cliffs and wept, and her tears became this waterfall, until that’s all that was left of her,” he continued, frowning a little.

 

“That’s a sad story,” she said, her voice rough with emotion.

 

“Tell me, Brianna, what would you have done if you were the woman in the story?”  
  
She wanted to say that she wouldn’t wait. She couldn’t wait. Brianna had spent years of her life hanging off of Hunter when he couldn’t be bothered to care for her as she was. At her core though, no matter how tough she was now, she’d always be a hopeless romantic.

 

“I would’ve waited for eternity, too. Some things are worth waiting for.” Her voice was thick. “There’s something so sweet about it.”

 

Liam’s frown mimicked her own, and he looked to the waterfall. “I’ve always thought that she was waiting because she knew if she left, it would mean admitting her love was gone. There’s one silver lining to this story…”

 

“Oh?”

 

“It’s said that if two lovers climb to the top of the waterfall and jump in together, they’ll get the blessing of the lady of the waterfall.”

 

“Is this your way of telling me you think we should be lovers?” she asked him with an arched brow.

 

“I didn’t think…” Liam’s eyes searched hers desperately. “I mean, I wasn’t trying to—”

 

“I’m kidding,” she interjected quickly. There was a beat of silence and she looked at him, licking her lips. “So… you _don’t_ ever think about it?”

 

“I didn’t say _that_. I’m only human, Brianna.” There was something in the way he said that… it gave her a light shiver across her spine. Liam was beaming as he ducked down, his voice gravelly and sexy. “Besides, would it be presumptuous of me to guess that _you’ve_ had similar thoughts?”

 

“Far too presumptuous. Especially not after the derby. Or the hot tub.”

 

Liam raised his eyebrows in pleasant surprise. He sized her up for a moment and swiftly moved to take off his shirt, letting it fall to the ground. Eyes locked on her, he dropped his pants and stood in his boxers.

 

“Or now,” she continued huskily.

 

He chortled softly. “You ready? It seems like you’re already dressed for the occasion, so now we climb.”

  
Brianna tugged off her cover up, watching Liam’s eyes run over her body. He finally tore himself away and moved to the cliff face, and she sucked her teeth as she considered the steep climb.

 

“Up the cliff face?” Brianna tried not to sound too worried, but she only had the dinkiest of shoes. Although she supposed she did climb a cliff in heels when she first met Liam.

  
“Well, there’s not exactly an elevator. You up for it?”

 

“You want to climb way up there?” she repeated, pointing up the cliff face. Liam nodded slowly, and she beamed at him. “Race you to the top!”

 

Brianna found a spot for her foot and started moving up the cliff, leaving Liam to laugh incredulously.  
  
“Hey, wait up!” he called.

  
“If you want me, you’ve got to catch me!”

 

They climbed together, and as she came to the top of the cliff, she felt Liam behind her. He stood and tackled her to the ground, and they fell in a mess of limbs and laughter. He rolled her around, pinning her under him, and she felt so light with laughter and turned on by the sheer power and dominance of behind under him like this.

 

“Got you,” he whispered.

 

“I still won the race,” she smirked.  
  
“I’ll gladly admit defeat to you, Brianna Richardson.”

 

She pushed herself up on her elbows, wanting to press her lips to his. He was so strong, but before she could really meet his lips with passion, he was pulling away and extending a hand to help her up.

  
“Come on. Ready to jump?”

 

Brianna peered over the edge of the waterfall. “I didn’t realize how high up we are.” She looked at him, nerves twisting her features.

 

“It’s better if you don’t think about that right now. Hold my hand.” Liam held his warm hand out for her, and she accepted it gratefully. “I think some would call this a leap of faith,” he chuckled. He tucked a piece of her wet hair behind her ear and smiled warmly at her.

 

“On three?” he asked, and she nodded.

  
“One…”

 

“Two…”

 

“Three!”

 

They jumped, and the short burst of adrenaline was exhilarating. It took her breath away, and as soon as she hit the water it was cold and shocking, bringing her back to reality. She surfaced, breathing hard from excitement.

  
Liam’s eyes were shining and his smile was radiant. “That was…”

 

“Amazing,” she finished, her tone just as thrilled as his.

 

Together they leaned back into the water, floating for a few minutes. The gentle roar of the waterfall was almost lulling her to sleep, but she felt keenly awake at the same time. She felt Liam’s hand reach out and brush hers, and she grabbed his hand.

 

“Thank you,” Liam said softly.  
  
“For what?”

 

“For coming here with me. For getting to know me. For… for caring about me, Brianna. I’ve never had anyone in my life like you. And now that I have you… I never want to lose you.”  
  
She could hear him splashing in the water, and she turned her cheek slightly to see that he was now standing in the pool of clear water, looking admiringly at her. Brianna shifted to stand in front of him, her eyes watching his. Here he was, pouring his heart out to her, and she’d been discounting him and falling for his best friend. Not spending time with him was really hard in the social season, and she felt guilty for doubting him.

  
Slowly she moved closer to him, her hands moving to rest on his chest. His skin was warm and hard, and she traced a pattern into his skin. Gently, she lifted her chin to stare up at him, and she leaned in to kiss him. Their lips met, and he groaned against her.

  
“Brianna…”

 

She teased his lips open, running her tongue against his lower lip before pulling away slowly. Liam looked dazed, and it was so undeniably handsome. “You can’t say all those romantic things and not expect to get kissed.”  
  
“Fair enough. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it… it’s just…” he sighed, shaking his head.

 

“Just what?” she said, her brow heavy.

 

“I don’t know what’s going to happen… but the last thing I’d want is for you to get hurt.”

 

“You know, I had a past with this ex-boyfriend of mine… he made it so I put all of my trust in him. It got to a point where it felt like I needed his approval constantly, and like my life wouldn’t have a real purpose without him.” Brianna looked to him for comfort, and Liam nodded gently. Her mind drifted to her past with Hunter, just momentarily.

 

* * *

* * *

 

_It hadn’t been all at once, of course, the way he changed her. One day after their engagement, she rolled over and noticed he had filled a closet in the suite with expensive looking clothing. It was all designer. Next to her bedside table was a registration form for etiquette lessons where Hunter had scribbled, ‘We’re going to fucking own this city, babe’._

_About a week later, he persuaded her to move in, and he cooked for her and helped her lose the last few of her freshmen fifteen to fit into all those new clothes even better. Hunter helped her with her etiquette of the weeks, and every time he corrected her with a little nudge, she smiled to herself, and rolled her eyes. Brianna wasn’t the prim and proper kind, but she could humour Hunter a little. This was the life she wanted, right? It was at the very least the life that he wanted, and she wanted to part of that. It couldn’t be that hard to do as he asked, and it’d be so worth it._

_If only she knew._

 

* * *

* * *

 

  
  
She sighed. “It was hard. I met him in my first year of university and we dated for years. After graduation, he proposed, and we moved in together. After that, he really started to train me to be more and more dependent on him.”

 

Brianna blinked a few times, her eyes burning with tears from memories past. It was disgusting to look back at how she let herself get treated by him. She cleared her throat softly, leaning against the edge of the pool of water, resting her arm against the cool, earthy ground.

 

“Eventually I ended things, and I have never experienced pain like I did then… rebuilding my entire life, my entire belief of who I was—who I am—and what I’m worth. Now, I can confidently say that I’m the kind of girl who can take care of herself. I would’ve thought you’d know that by now,” she smiled at him, pushing against his chest with her hands gently.

  
“You’re right. I’m usually a quicker study, I promise.” Liam kissed her forehead gently. It was such an oddly intimate move. “I’m sorry that happened to you, Brianna. I don’t mind to treat you like that, it’s just… I care about you. More than you know… and definitely more than I should.”

 

“I didn’t mean to suggest you were the same as him. I know it’s different. I… I care about you too,” she said, biting her lip cautiously. Taking the courage to open up to him really made her feel so safe and loved, and she wished she had done it a little sooner. Perhaps she had overlooked how vulnerable Liam needed to be in this whole process. It was liberating, in a terrifying way.

 

“I just needed to share that with you,” she said softly.

 

Liam’ gaze was unbridled adoration, and his hands covered hers on his chest. Brianna’s heartbeat sped up, and she let out a shaky breath.  
  
“Oh, Brianna…” he murmured, and she moved her hands to his neck, pulling him down to her.

 

Their kiss was heated, and his arms snaked around her bare torso, pushing her body close to his. She coaxed his mouth open, her tongue meeting his feverishly, and she moaned against his lips. With a fluid motion, he scooped her up in the water, and moved her to the sandy ground, laying her down and resting himself on top of her. Brianna could feel him moving all around her, his lips moving down her jaw, tracing the curve of her neck.

 

Brianna’s fingers wound into his damp blonde locks, and she pulled him up to her face once more, enjoying the weight and warmth of his body over hers. After another minute, they pulled apart breathlessly. Liam rested his forehead against hers, and she could see the desire darkening his gaze… and something else.

 

“We haven’t known each other very long, but every moment I spend with you, I can’t help but feel…” Liam’s voice was husky, and he let out a nervous breath. “Brianna, I think… I’m falling in lo—”

 

Suddenly there was movement that exploded from the bushes next to them as a startled group of birds shot off. A fox pounced after them playfully.  
  
Brianna met his eyes again, knowing the moment was gone. Part of her was relieved. She felt closer to Liam after opening up, but she didn’t think she was ready to hear what Liam had been ready to say. Still, a morbid part of her couldn’t help asking him to clarify.  
  
“Er… you were saying?”

 

“Never mind. It was nothing,” he shook his head, giving her a regretful look. He moved away from her, rolling on his back beside her. “I suppose we should head back.”

 

“Yeah. We’ve been gone long enough that people will be starting to look for us,” she agreed, sitting up and reaching for her cover up.  
  
“No matter how much time we have together, Brianna, it’s just never enough, is it?”

 

“Not by a long shot,” she smiled sadly. They got dressed and began their descent, and she couldn’t help but wonder if that bonding session would be forgotten with the waterfall, or if she could treasure the memory and use it to fuel her in the social season.

 

 

* * *

 

 

The pair made their way back to the beach without much talking. What else was there to say right now? Liam led her back to the picnic tables just in time to catch the last snippets of the setting sun. They watched together, and once darkness kissed the ocean, he turned to her.  
  
“Thank you for everything. I had a good time, Brianna. I find myself reluctant to leave you…”

 

“Maybe we can take a little while longer,” she suggested softly, feeling a kinship with him. She was a little surprised by her own feelings, but she knew that opening up to him was the right thing to do. Brianna slipped her hand into his again, relishing in the newfound familiarity of that move. She looked up to him, a smile playing on her lips. Suddenly, Liam’s name was being called across the beach, and she turned to see King Constantine behind them. Brianna dropped her hand from Liam’s quickly as the king approached.

 

“Father. You’re on the beach!” Liam sounded as surprised as he looked.

 

The king narrowed his eyes, but his tone was friendly. “I have been known to leave the palace to grace our shores from time to time…”

 

“I just mean we rarely get the honour of your presence at the beach party after the regatta,” Liam clarified.

  
“You have me there, but today, I thought it might be warranted. I’m sure you heard my announcement earlier about my, ah, retirement…” the kind spoke carefully. Brianna shifted her weight to the other foot awkwardly, unsure if she should excuse herself.

 

“I did,” Liam said.

 

“I feel I owe you an explanation. Lady Brianna, please pardon us, but I’d like to have a moment alone with my son.”

 

“Of course, Your Highness,” she agreed smoothly, taking a few considerate steps backwards.

 

“I’ll find you later, Lady Brianna,” Liam said. Brianna dipped into a curtsy and left them alone, her mind racing. The kind looked troubled, and she hoped everything was okay. For now, she had to find the limo to take her back to the palace.

 

* * *

 

 

It took a few minutes of wandering aimlessly, but she finally found Maxwell waiting for her by the docks, and they made their way to the limo. Bertrand was waiting for them, and Brianna saw the way he looked at her sand covered limbs and messy hair. She sighed.

 

“Look who finally made it!” Maxwell clapped.

 

“I’m sure my absence was absolutely heart-wrenching for you.”  
  
“Aren’t you sad you missed out, Bertrand?” she asked.

 

“Roasting in the sun while watching little boats go by is hardly what I’d consider stimulating.” Bertrand’s face soured in anger. “In fact, I wouldn’t even be here right now if I thought Maxwell could handle this on his own.”

  
“I can handle it… probably…” Maxwell argued weakly.  
  
Bertrand looked pissed. “Between forgetting to teach her,” he motioned to Brianna, “the Cordonian Waltz and not warning her that she’d need swim attire, I’m starting to wonder if I can trust you with even the simplest tasks!”  
  
“How’d you know about the swimsuit thing?” Maxwell asked, dumbfounded. Brianna frowned in thought, curious about that as well.

 

“I have my ways,” Bertrand sighed roughly. “And I’ll be keeping a closer eye on Brianna, even if it means neglecting our estate. So, clear you calendars… we need to prepare for the next event.”

 

“Can’t we at least take tonight off? It’s been a long day… we all deserve some rest!” Maxwell whined with an impish grin.

 

“You can rest when Brianna is crowned Queen of Cordonia… and from where we’re standing, that’s not going to be any time soon,” Bertrand snapped. Brianna rubbed her temples in exasperation.  
  
“Right, sorry. What I meant was _tonight_ I want to stay up all night to train and prepare Bree for the next event!” Maxwell looked shamefaced.

  
Bertrand raised his eyebrows, likely at the use of her new nickname, but he let it slide. “I’m glad we’re in agreement. Now… Lady Brianna, we’ll be preparing you for the Apple Blossom Festival!”  
  
“Great!” she said, giving Bertrand a thumbs up, “…what is that?”

 

“It’s kind of like what it sounds like,” Maxwell shrugged. “I hope you like apples… because this festival has got a lot of them!”

 

 

* * *

 

 

The brothers prepped her for the festival the entire way home (well, Bertrand did and Maxwell cracked jokes) until Brianna fell asleep in her seat. Bertrand conceded defeat and left her alone for the rest of the ride.  
  
Once they reached the castle, Brianna sank into a hot batch, washed off the saltwater from the day, and collapsed into bed, rolling herself into a little burrito of blankets. Her sleep came swiftly and she dreamt of apples shining on a tree, Liam helping her pluck them as Drake watched with his arms crossed.

 

That was interesting.

 

* * *

* * *

 


	11. Chapter Eleven: I Absolutely Adore You (and Apples Too)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Apple Blossom Festival leaves a bitter taste in Brianna’s mouth, but a shot of whisky makes things right again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a ton of fun to write! It's a long one, so I hope you enjoy it. Thanks to everyone who has been checking my fanfic out, it's so awesome to see people enjoying it.

 

* * *

* * *

 

The next morning Brianna learned that the Apple Blossom Festival was weeks away. She was also disappointed to learn that many of the noble ladies took the opportunity to visit home for the social season since they were at the halfway point. The castle was nearly empty, and while it was a little lonely, she had to admit it was nice to breath without all the stuffy royals watching her every move. Bertrand informed her that the king, queen, and prince were doing fairly intensive Cordonian work due to falling behind because of the social season. King Constantine’s announcement had put a squeeze on the prince’s training, and Brianna had to admit she missed having him around, if only to spot him across the room.

 

Over the next weeks, she trained extensively with Bertrand about Cordonian history, etiquette, the background of the social season, and a little more of what to expect going forward. She even made it to the spa a few times where she soaked in oils, had massages, and put the stress of the social season out of her mind. She got a haircut, a facial, a manicure and pedicure, a head to toe wax, and even a set of eyelash extensions.  

 

Brianna settled into this routine of the life of luxury until a few days before the festival when the castle began to fill up once more. It has been a nice routine to uphold, dining with Maxwell most mornings and then lounging around the castle, but Brianna did have to admit it was getting boring. Even with the company returning, everyone seemed to be keeping to themselves more than usual, so Brianna took their lead and didn’t bother anyone. Bertrand was kind enough to explain, when she asked about the weird vibe, that many of the suitors were getting ready for the final stretch of the social season and reevaluating their strategies. That gave her a weird feeling, but she pushed it aside. Though she wanted another familiar face to pass the time, Hana didn’t get back until late the night before the festival, and they barely spoke when she arrived. Brianna hated to admit it, but she was feeling lonely.

  
Once the morning of the festival rolled around, the ladies were all up early to make it out to countryside in time for the festival. Brianna was standing outside, waiting for her limo. She waved to Hana, who started to make her way over but got picked up before they could reconnect. 

 

Brianna was the last one to be picked up, and she sighed gratefully when she could escape the chilly early morning air and tuck herself into the heated vehicle. She slid into the limo that Bertrand and Maxwell were in, greeting them both warmly. The vehicle purred away from the castle, and the scenery started to space out as they made their way to the Cordonian countryside. The vibrations of the limo lulled Brianna to sleep, and she woke up after a long car ride, yawning and stretching out luxuriously.

 

“I hate to be cliché, but… are we there yet?” she asked sleepily, managing a soft smile.

 

Maxwell laughed good naturedly. He was looking out the window, his nose pressed against the glass. “Amost, Brianna. Believe me, I’m as excited as you to get out of this car… especially since we’re going to Applewood!”

 

“I still can’t believe that’s the name of the royal family’s country manor,” she said with an eyeroll. When Bertrand coached her about the country manor and its history, she couldn’t believe the silly name, and the humour of it still hadn’t worn off. “You and Bertrand _really_ aren’t pulling a prank on me? Everything in Cordonia has been so grand, but that’s… well, quaint!”

 

“I would never,” Bertrand replied primly, his legs folded tightly. “It’s decidedly appropriate. Applewood Manor borders the largest apple orchard in the entire kingdom, and that’s where they first cultivated the apple varietal Cordonia is most famous for.”

 

Brianna realized he was staring at her expectantly. “The Cordonian ruby,” she replied.

 

“Very good,” he nodded, a real smile playing on his lips. “The Cordonian ruby is a red varietal that’s pleasantly crisp with an intense flavor that has notes of honeyed caramel.”

 

“You know, that’s probably the most poetic thing you’ve ever said,” Brianna teased.

 

“Certain subjects call for a little poetry,” Bertrand agreed, and she exchanged a look with Maxwell, who had finally stopped looking out the window.

 

“Like apples, obviously,” she said flatly.

 

“Precisely. Now, let us review your role this weekend in earnest.”

 

“Again? You make it sound like I need to step up my game…” she frowned.

 

“Oh, you _do_. Remember, Brianna, since the king announced his retirement, _everything_ has changed.”  
  
“I guess the announcement was more serious than I thought. I did see King Constantine talking to Liam about it at the beach party.” She met his eyes, hers clouded with troubled thought. Bertrand looked animated and leaned forward.

 

“Really? What do you know about it?” Bertrand asked excitedly.

 

“Well, I know that Prince Liam wasn’t expecting the announcement,” she said with a little shrug. It was interesting, but it was hardly enough information to form a full opinion on the situation.

  
“Hmmm, _interesting_.” Bertrand sounded more lively than she had ever seen him. “Anything else? Has he talked to you since?”

 

“No. I haven’t seen him around since the regatta. Honestly, I noticed that none of the royal family has been at the palace much since the regatta…”

 

Maxwell chimed in with an exaggerated shrug. “He’s probably busy with preparations for the coronation.”

 

“That’s precisely the reason we need to make a more concerted effort. We’re no longer playing for the title of princess. If Brianna marries him, she will be queen. The stakes are higher than ever.” Bertrand’s face hardened, and his eyes burned into hers. “We must succeed.”

 

“Bertrand, that’s cold. This isn’t just a game to me, it’s not about succeeding. You know I actually care about the prince, right? If he chooses me, it’ll be because he cares for me, and I care for him.”

 

Bertrand nodded agreeably, unmoved. “That’s good. Use that. Let your sentimental heart fuel your competitive spirit.”

 

Brianna’s eyes narrowed in anger. “Bertrand…” she growled.

 

“I’m merely preparing you. The other ladies are only going to get more competitive, and if you do care about him, then you’ll get serious.”

 

“Well, that I can agree to.” She relaxed in her seat, annoyed that his words sparked that competition in her that he had hoped for.

 

“We’re running out of time after all. There’s only about a month and a half before the Coronation Ball at the end of the season,” Bertrand reminded her.  
  
“I know.”

 

“Time flies when you’re jet-setting around Cordonia,” Maxwell said with a dreamy sigh.

 

“So, what do I need to do? What are my directives for the day?” She turned to Maxwell, her eyes sparkling. She was excited to see her friends again, and the festival did sound like a fun day.

 

“No time to play coy. Spend as much time with Liam as possible,” Maxwell said, looking to his brother.

 

“But if you can’t do that, try not to get in trouble,” Bertrand added. “According to my reports, you, Duchess Olivia, and Countess Madeleine are the frontrunners…”

 

“I remember this from our training, Bertrand. I’m telling you though, Prince Liam and I have a special connection.”

 

“His Royal Highness isn’t the only one who matters. Remember, Olivia and Madeleine may not be foremost in the prince’s heart, but they are popular with other royals, the nobles, and the public. They’re both going to try to undermine you.”

 

“Olivia’s been trying since the beginning,” she said as her lips turned down thoughtfully. “I’ve stood my ground with her. I don’t remember that much about Madeleine.”

 

“Her mother is Cordonian nobility which is where she gets her title of Countess, and she’s practically royalty on her father’s side as well. Her family is powerful, and she’s grown up immersed in the intrigues and maneuverings of courtly life. Don’t underestimate her. She’s used to winning,” Bertrand offered a tight smile of respect. “Anyway, you won’t be able to avoid either lady in public, but try your best to keep your cool and be diplomatic, especially when the press is around. You’ve done remarkably well so far, but there’s still room to fail.”

 

Brianna bobbed her head in agreement. The limo made a long turn and began to slow down, blessedly, and Maxwell pumped his first.

 

“We’re here!” Maxwell sang excitedly.

 

When she stepped out of the limo, her hand in Maxwell’s she let out a slow breath. The sprawling estate of Applewood Manor was luscious, green, and idyllic.  A large stone manor stood amidst all the manicured lawns, looking elegant in its quiet regality. Beyond it there were fields of grass, emerald green, and perfectly trimmed trees lined the walkway.

 

“Beautiful… I can get used to this,” Brianna chirped, looking around with an awestruck expression.

 

“This is Applewood Manor. It’s where we’ll be staying for the next few weeks,” Maxell said with a wave of his hand. They stood in quiet appreciation of the land for another moment before Maxwell grabbed her bags from the limo and walked with her down the long, packed dirt driveway that led to the manor. Bertrand followed, his arms behind his back as he watched the manor closely.

 

“Now, we should settle in quickly. The Apple Blossom Festival will last today and tomorrow, and the first kick-off event is starting this afternoon,” Bertrand said with a little sniff.

 

“What kind of apple-themed activities are we talking about again?” she asked, avoiding Bertrand’s disapproving look. “I know, Bertrand. I forgot.”

 

“Delicious ones!” Maxwell laughed. “Apple picking, apple pie baking, apple tree planting…”

 

“We Cordonians take our traditions very seriously Be sure to show enthusiasm for all these events,” Bertrand told Brianna with a careful glance at her dark wash jeans and white t-shirt. “That starts with finding something suitable to wear… nothing too flashy. Just something that says you’re relatable and quaint.”

 

“I’ve got this. I called the boutique earlier and explained my vision, and they sent a garment up to this location for me.”

 

Bertrand looked at her, pleasantly surprised, and gave her a smile. “Off you go, then.”

 

* * *

 

After a few minutes of searching, Brianna found the manor’s pop-up boutique. It looked like a spare bedroom converted into a temporary boutique for the ladies, and she noticed a shopping bag with her name in elegant cursive. Delighted, she scooped it up and moved quickly to the changing room, putting the flowing dress on quickly. It was an off the shoulder white dress with big ruffles down the chest, cinched in with a woven beige belt. The skirt flowed down smoothly, a sporadic floral print that grew heavier closer to the hem, little pops of colour against the white. Brianna had opted for a ruby nail polish on her fingers and toes, and they popped against the simplicity of the dress. She had packed a pair of light brown wedges that she slipped on, and she ruffled her loosely curled hair up. Brianna she decided to leave her face fairly natural. It suited the outfit.

  
“If this doesn’t say ‘a day in the countryside’, I don’t know what does,” she said to her reflection, stuffing her old clothes in the shopping bag. She dropped it off with her other luggage to be brought up to her room before making her way outside again.

 

* * *

 

Maxwell waved her over to the lawn, and as she made her way she could see it was actually the apple orchard. Security met her and escorted her across the lawn, past a crowd of people waiting for the festival to begin. All the ladies who were vying for Liam’s hand in marriage were standing in a loose semicircle under the shade of a large apple tree. In a way, it was nice to see the group together again after the quiet weeks that just passed. Brianna squeezed into the open space between Olivia and Madeleine.

 

Immediately Olivia’s hand shot to her hip, and she looked Brianna up and down. “Shouldn’t you be in the back somewhere with Drake and the other commoners?  
  
_Drake was here?_  
  
Brianna forced herself to not look back, and instead started on a quippy retort, but was shushed by Madeleine.  
  
“Shhh… it’s starting.”

 

She turned her attention to the king and queen who stood in the center, proudly smiling. There were wicker baskets surrounding them, bursting with brilliant red apples. The press was bustling around the ladies, aiming for the perfect shot of the royals. They quieted respectfully as the king raised his arms.

  
“Welcome to the annual Apple Blossom Festival!” he called out, his voice deep and reassuring.

 

“As is tradition, myself and several ladies of the court will sample the apples of the first picking of the season!” Queen Regina offered a rare smile to the press, gesturing for the helpers to hand out apples to the royal family and the prince’s suitors. Brianna accepted hers, cupping it in her hand. The skin was shiny and brilliantly red, and she couldn’t wait to taste the caramelized honey notes that Bertrand has praised.

  
“It’s so red… it really is like a ruby,” she said, looking up and smiling stupidly. Hana met her eyes and nodded gently.

  
“Looks delicious,” Hana offered quietly.

  
“Oh, it is…” Olivia grinned at the both of them. Her head cocked to the side like a cat playing with her food. “I can’t wait for you both to try it.”

 

“You know, I actually look forward to this every year…” Madeleine admitted, trailing off as the queen cleared her throat primly.

 

“Ladies if you will… please try your apples.”

One of the reporters edged closer to Brianna, brandishing a camera with a huge flash. “Make sure you look over here! We’d love some reaction shots,” the reporter said, waving his camera. She recognized him as Donald, and she nodded quickly to show she had heard him.

 

Ana, another reporter she recognized, spoke up. “And a shot of that ensemble, Lady Brianna. Ruffles are on trend for tis summer’s lineup! It’s perfect.”

 

“Thanks!” Brianna responded with a smile. She hadn’t been aware that ruffles were so in, but she loved falling into good fashion. She moved the apple to her lips, her mouth watering in anticipation.

  
“Delicious,” Olivia said in an unexpectedly girlish voice.

  
“As refreshing as a summer breeze,” Madeleine agreed, her face delighted.

 

Brianna was excited, but as her teeth sank in, she could hear Hana gasp in surprise. She felt the shockingly bitter tang of the apple shoot into her mouth, sparking across her taste buds. There was a sour aftertaste that instinctively puckered her lips, but she forced herself into a smile and swallowed the bite quickly. She could feel it moving down her throat as the camera caught a casual smile from her, seemingly enjoying the apple.

 

“That was… _tasty_ ,” she spoke with a little teasing lilt.

 

“It looks like you enjoyed the Cordonian Ruby, Lady Brianna,” Donald said.

 

“It certainly has character,” she agreed.

 

“I wasn’t expecting such a sour taste,” Hana said, her face pulled in defeat.

 

“The first crop of the season always has a particular _bite_ to it. I rather like the taste, personally,” Madeleine said with a little smirk.

  
_You would._

Olivia scoffed. “You would.”

 

Brianna looked to Olivia in surprise, biting her lip as she held back a smile. Who would have thought they would agree on something like that? If only she could share the sentiment with Olivia. The king was moving along in the day’s events, clearing his throat and politely demanding attention now that the apple tasting was over.

 

“It looks like our ladies enjoyed their apples. I’d like to extend a special thanks to our apple growers and farmers for preserving our noble tradition…” the king said, smiling kindly.

  
“And with that… Happy Apple Blossom Festival!” Queen Regina called, clapping her hands together excitedly. The crowd cheered and people immediately began moving around, dispersing into the orchard to pick their ownapples. Brianna stepped to join them, but the reporters rushed forward, trapping her with Olivia and Madeleine.

  
“Would it be alright with you ladies if I asked a few questions?” Donald asked, his pen waiting above his notepad.

  
Madeleine offered a delightful smile, no doubt reserved for the press. “Of course! Fydelia had always generously supported the CBC. I look forward to your favourable report.”

 

“And _I_ haven’t forgotten the amazing article about the Nevrakis family history in Trend several years back,” Olivia cut in smoothly, her red lips curving upward.

 

Ana nodded, her blonde bob shining in the sun with the movement. “Your family has always been as fashionable as it is noble.”

 

Brianna pushed her long locks out of her face as she stepped forward slightly. That damn competitive spirit wouldn’t let her just back down, especially coupled with her communications background. She could turn the press to her despite her competitor’s obvious advantages. “Well, Mr. Brine, Ms. De Luca, I don’t have a history with the CBC or Trend, but I can promise you a compelling story.” The reporters looked at her, their interest piqued.  
  
“The prince and I are close. I’ve seen a side of him that he doesn’t often show in public. Wouldn’t you want to hear about that?” she asked sweetly, her eyes flashing.

 

“Trend would be interested in Lady Brianna’s insights as someone on the inside,” Ana agreed.

 

“Thank you,” Brianna nodded at her.

 

“Lady Brianna makes and excellent point, and I’d like to remind everyone that we all have a relationship with the prince that could provide a unique spin,” Madeleine said smoothly, keeping her face a beautiful mask of professionalism. Brianna wanted to flip her the bird, but she kept a polite smile on her own face.

 

_Likely not grinding against him in a hot tub, or jumping off a waterfall with him, huh Maddie? No one’s keeping track though._

 

“Yes, I’ve been Liam’s friend since childhood,” Olivia offered.

 

“And I myself am close to the prince and have the pleasure of calling the queen my friend. Now, any other questions?” Madeleine asked, her eyes moving to the reporters.

 

Donald looked down at his notes, smiling to himself. “Just one last one… you’ve been at court enjoying all the events the social season has to offer, competition for the prince’s attention. At this stage, who do you think the prince will choose?”

 

“The prince will choose whoever will make the best queen,” Brianna responded smoothly. “Prince Liam is loyal and dedicated. He’ll do what’s best for his country and people.”

 

“But you’re still wishing it’ll be you?” Ana questioned.

 

“With everything in me.” Brianna offered a quaint smile, shaking her head gently. “But I know Prince Liam will do what’s right, and I’m trying to be worthy of being his choice.”

 

“Can I quote you on that?”

 

“Of course.”

 

“Very well-put, Lady Brianna.” Madeleine’s words were kind, but her face was cold.

 

“Really?” Brianna asked, astonished.

 

“Yes. I know _I_ find the prince’s devotion to cause and country inspiring.”

 

Ana clicked off her recorder, smiling at the ladies. “As do we all, Lady Madeleine. That’s it for questions.”

  
“Thank you, ladies. Especially you, Lady Brianna. Your answers were quite interesting,” Donald nodded, retreating back into the crowd.

 

“You’re welcome!” she called after him, waving. Ana walked off shortly after as did a few other reporters that she hadn’t met yet. Brianna looked to the ladies and found Olivia glaring with her arms crossed and Madeleine staring thoughtfully.

  
“That was… informative. Lady Brianna, you answered with such grace and poise.” Madeleine looked a little shell shocked.

  
“Oh, thank you.” Bertrand’s training must have paid off somewhat, and she was grateful the money spent on her degree wasn’t a waste.

 

“It was rather enviable,” Madeleine continued, “I only hope you can keep it up without any _mishaps_. Some women can’t handle the pressure.”

 

“I can,” Brianna replied firmly.

 

“As can I,” Olivia rolled her eyes. “If either of you think you’ve won, you’ve got another thing coming.”

 

“Oh, Olivia dear… I think we all know where we stand. May the best woman win,” Madeleine said with a little turn on her heel. Olivia shook her head and stomped off in the opposite direction. Once they left, Brianna let out a long breath that she hadn’t realized she was holding. Turning behind her, she made her way to where Bertrand and Maxwell stood on the sidelines.

  
“You did well up there with the press. Madeleine didn’t shake you,” Bertrand nodded appreciatively.  
  
“Yeah, but I’m beginning to see what you mean. She spun everything positively for herself…” Brianna broke off, pursing her lips. It was so mentally exhausting to be back in the minefield of being with these ladies, and she was grateful for the break she had before jumping back in. It really had rejuvenated her and allowed her to focus on the priorities.

 

“Still, this gives me hope.”

 

“Also, thanks for _not_ giving me a heads-up about the apple! You said it’d taste like caramelized honey.” Brianna rubbed her forehead in exasperation, her tone snappish.

 

“I said it had an intense flavor!” Bertrand shot back, sneering. “Besides, if you can’t handle something as simple as a sour apple, I shudder to think how you’ll crumble when presented with a _real_ challenge!”

 

“Whatever.” Brianna was infuriated, but she didn’t see any benefit to arguing with him. “What happens now?”

 

“Right now, I suggest you two go down this path and enjoy a stroll through the royal gardens. I have it on good authority that the prince is there now.” Bertrand stepped away from them, looking back briefly. “I’ll catch up with you later.”

 

“Come on Brianna, I’ll show you where to go,” Maxwell offered kindly.

 

They made their way towards the gardens, with Maxwell rattling off useless Cordonian ruby apple facts. They were early there when Bertrand’s voice, heavy with agitation, cut through the air. Brianna turned to the source, and saw Bertrand standing with a familiar figure, arguing.  
  
“Hold on, Maxwell. Is Bertrand talking to Ana? The reporter from Trend?”

  
Maxwell followed her gaze as Maxwell whispered loudly. “Ana, you’re being unreasonable.”

 

“Not the way I see it,” she shot back. Bertrand shook his head in obvious frustration, storming away. Brianna moved closer to Maxwell, lowering her voice.  
  
“Looks like something’s going up. Any idea what’s going on?”

  
“Not really,” Maxwell replied quietly. “Bertrand doesn’t let me get involved with House Beaumont stuff. He thinks I’d just screw it up.”

 

“That’s not fair, Maxwell.” Brianna reached out to squeeze her friend’s arm sympathetically. He smiled weakly at her.

 

“I kind of see his point. I _am_ kind of a screw up…”

 

“Don’t let Bertrand get to you,” she said with an annoyed click of her tongue. “You’re as much a member of House Beaumont as he is!”

 

“It _does_ look like things didn’t go well with that reporter… maybe I could help…” Maxwell looked at her, his eyes hopeful. “But, wait, I don’t want to distract you. We’re supposed to be going to find the prince.”

 

“Maxwell! This is important.” Brianna nudged him gently. “I think we should do it. You can help if you try, I know it.”

“You really think we should do it?” he asked slowly, still unsure.

 

“He’s your brother. I know you want to help him if we can. Even if he pisses us off sometimes,” she chuckled.

 

“Thanks for coming with me, Brianna. I hate awkward situations.” Maxwell gave a dramatic shudder at the thought. She squeezed his shoulder again and they moved down to the fountain where Ana was sitting. She stood as they approached, and Ana recognized Brianna immediately.

 

“Lady Brianna, what a surprise. Did you want to add to your earlier comments?” she inquired politely.

  
“Yes, Ms. De Luca… I’m actually here with my friend Maxwell. We wanted to see if you’d be willing to share some information with us.” Brianna recognized the risk of diving in without pussyfooting, but she hoped someone like Ana would appreciate it.

 

“Straight to the point,” Ana said, watching Brianna carefully from behind her sunglasses. A minute passed, and Brianna felt the tension in her body as she held her breath. “I like that. Fist off, if we’re talking off the record, just call me Ana.”

 

“Okay, Ana. I wanted to ask what were you and Bertrand arguing about?”

 

Ana smiled delicately. “Bertrand’s always been _very_ concerned with how the world sees him and his house.” Maxwell nodded along with her words. She paused, marshalling her thoughts, and continued, “Let’s just say that my view of what’s currently going on didn’t exactly match with the imagine he wants the world to see.”

 

“So…” Maxwell sighed, looking crestfallen, “you know that we’re broke.”

 

“Not to put too fine a point on it, but yes. What happens to the Beaumont House _is_ Cordonian news.”

 

“We’re not really that important,” Maxwell argued weakly. Brianna wanted to hug him. Seeing Maxwell embarrassed and sad like this was weird, and it didn’t suit him.  
  
“Bertrand _made_ House Beaumont important. He catapulted your family name into the spotlight. Good or bad, Cordonia wants to know what’s happening with you.” Ana looked at Maxwell carefully. “I happen to think that they deserve the truth, but Bertrand doesn’t see it that way. He was furious.”

 

Brianna could see even Ana was getting worked up recalling their conversation. She gave a little chuckle. “Well, can you blame him for wanting some privacy? It’s not your fault, but all the press can be overwhelming at times.”

 

“Part of being a noble in the Cordonian court is giving up any expectation of privacy,” Ana shrugged. “That _used_ to be something Bertrand loved. Besides, if Bertrand truly wanted to be a recluse, he could move to some far-off mountain estate. He obviously still wants to be in the public eye… he just wants the public eye to be in awe of him and his wealth.”

 

Maxwell rubbed his nose anxiously, his energy nervous. “Well… so… are you going to run a story about my brother?

 

Ana studied him carefully. There was a beat of tension, and Ana nodded slowly. “Yes.”

 

“Bertrand would be devastated,” Maxwell said with a frown.

 

“Think you could spare him?” Brianna asked Ana, offering a short smile.

 

Ana sighed in frustration. “Look, I don’t appreciate Bertrand’s way of going about things. If he thinks he can intimidate me, he’s got another thing coming.”

 

“But we’re not trying to intimidate you. We’re practically begging you!” Maxwell whined, and Brianna could tell he was doing his best to protect his brother. It was really heartwarming, actually.

  
“True,” Ana replied.

 

“Please, it would run our house’s reputation.”

 

“Nonsense. People love a good riches to rags story even more than a rags to riches one. If anything, it would make the people love you.”

 

Brianna piped in. “Actually, people would pity them.”

 

“Perhaps,” Ana agreed slowly, rolling the word around in her mouth. “But is there anything wrong with pity?”

 

“There is to Bertrand. It would kill him,” Maxwell urged, his eyes pleading with Ana.

 

“I suppose it would, wouldn’t it…” Ana’s lips pulled down, and Brianna could see her brow furrowing in thought. “Okay, you’ve made your point. I’ll delay my story to the end of the social season.”  
  
Maxwell let out a huge breath, blowing the air through his lips loudly and letting them vibrate loudly. “Thank you!”

 

“Now, I really must be going. It was… interesting talking to you two.” Ana nodded curtly and moved down the path quickly but smoothly.

  
Maxwell turned to Brianna, his face a huge grin and his hand outstretched. Brianna gave him the high five he desired, and he did a weird little dance.

  
“Thanks for coming with me to talk to her. I’m really glad we did.”

 

“It’s always strange to hear people talk about the way things used to be. Was Bertrand really so different?”

 

He laughed heartily. “Oh, you have no idea. Let me tell you about the New Year’s Eve party he threw six years ago. I remember we were all drinking champagne, and Bertrand came around the corner with four more bottles, declaring everyone drink more.”

 

Brianna put a hand to her mouth, covering her laughter. Maxwell joined in, and shook his head. “Just wait. I had really wanted to slice the top of the champagne bottle off with a sword.” Maxwell imitated the movement for Brianna. “He didn’t even care the sword I wanted to use was like a relic or something. Even Olivia was having fun.”

 

“Olivia was there?”

 

“Oh yeah. Same with Drake and his sister, Savannah. Even Liam! I opened the bottle with the sword like a boss, and everyone was so happy and they even applauded. I think Bertrand gave a toast and said any party I was at became the party of the century.”

 

Maxwell was grinning fondly at the memory, and Brianna felt her own lips twitch as she listened to the story that he told with such affection. The smile faded after a minute, and he blinked a few times.

 

“And that’s how things were.”

 

Brianna’s lips were parted in surprise, her eyebrows raised. “Wow. I can’t believe Bertrand was actually like that.”

 

“Yeah…” Maxwell looked a little forlorn, but he perked up in the next second. “But enough about that. We’ve got to get you to your prince!”

 

After a few minutes of walking, Maxwell and Brianna made it to the gardens. Everyone from the court was strolling among the beautiful flower beds, and Brianna looked fondly at the little bridge crossing a stream. Her eyes found the bright flowers, the graceful weeping willow, and the clusters of people, but she couldn’t find Liam.

  
“Where’s Liam? I don’t see him... he’s been a little off since the regatta…”  Brianna hated how whiny she sounded, but she was genuinely concerned about the prince.

 

“Well, Bertrand said he was here… I’ll look around.”  
  
Maxwell wandered off somewhat aimlessly, and Brianna meandered around the little bridge. She peered toward the gazebo and traced the letters of the sign that said ‘Exhibit Closed’

 

“Hmmm…”  
  
She looked up toward the gazebo again, checked out the area near her for anyone staring, and decided she was safe. She made her way across the grass, ending up on a stone path lined with amazing shrubs and blooming flowers. She rounded a slight corner and saw Liam staring down at a pond of golden fish. His face was contemplative, and she hated seeing the way that his worrying creased his forehead.

 

“Liam?” Brianna called out softly, keeping a respectful distance.

 

“Brianna!” he said, looking up in surprise.

 

“Is something wrong?”

 

“No. It’s just…” Liam shook his head, his eyes darkening. “It’s nothing. Never mind.”

 

“Liam… I can tell something’s bothering you.” Brianna moved closer to him, her blue eyes meeting his. His were such a beautiful navy, so much darker and intense than hers, but bright and alive in their own way. “What is it?”

 

“Brianna, can I ask you something?”

 

“Of course.”

 

“Do you… do you think you could handle being queen of Cordonia? Truly?”

 

Her heartbeat picked up and her mouth got a little dry. That was a tough question, but what was really tricky was the implication behind it.  
  
“Yes, I believe so. I haven’t spent as much time at court as some of the other ladies, but I’d like to think I could do a good job. I’ve been training with Bertrand and Maxwell to learn everything about Cordonian history. We’ll hopefully move on to policies, alliances, and more political things soon… but…” Brianna broke off, smiling weakly. “I know it’s not the kind of training some of the other women here have, but I’m trying damn hard. So far everyone says I’m holding my own. So, yes, I believe so.” Her breathing was a little heavy, and she realized she was speaking with pure passion.

 

Liam nodded slowly. “That’s… good.”

 

“Is that what’s been on your mind recently?”

  
“That’s part of it. But as for the rest… I… it’s not something I can talk about. With anyone,” he clarified before she could offer support. “But trust me, if I could… you’d be the one I’d want to tell.”

  
“Liam…” Brianna was looking up at him, her face pained. Liam usually exuded confidence, his posture impeccable, his demeanor unshakable. Today he was nothing like the man he presented in public, and it rattled her. She wanted to help, but she didn’t know how. There was something he was struggling with, and she wondered if he was staying out of the public and private eye as much as possible to deal with it.  
  
She reached out to touch his arm carefully, running her thumb over his charcoal suit. Liam responded immediately, leaning into her touch. After a minute or two, he pulled her into a tight embrace. He was so tall and broad that she felt so enveloped in his strong arms. Brianna could feel him rest his chin on her head.

  
“Honestly, I’ll be fine. Anyway, it’s just boring royal business. Not worth troubling you about in any case.”

 

Brianna pulled away, catching his eyes. “I don’t think your royal business is boring. Maybe I can join you in the gardens?”

 

He gave her a small smile and they walked away from the gazebo, not quite hand in hand but brushing their hands against each other as they walked. There was a winding path through the flowers, and they picked their way across the stone pieces.

 

“I’ve always loved the view here,” Liam said, almost to himself.  
  
“It’s magical,” she agreed. “I’ve never seen so many apple blossoms.”

  
“The festival is a special time of year for this garden. I could stay here all day, but…”

 

“But?”

 

“I have plans to meet to Drake.”

 

“Oh. Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt you,” she said, taking a little half step back. If anyone could cheer Liam up, she’d put good money on Drake. Not that he was a particularly cheerful or positive person, but he’d known Drake for his whole life, so surely Drake must have a trick or two to understanding Liam.

 

“You’re welcome to come with me. He’d probably be happy to see you,” Liam suggested, raising his eyebrows with a smile.

  
_Not likely_.

 

“He sort of dreads this day every year,” he continued with a mirthless chuckle.

 

“He hates apples?” Brianna was incredulous.

 

“Not quite. Today is Drake’s birthday.”

 

“Figures he’d try and keep it a secret,” Brianna said with a laugh. It was just the kind of thing he’d do, downplay a chance to celebrate himself, and the thought was so endearing for some reason.

  
“Hmm… yes, he’d actually probably be furious if he knew that I’d told you,” Liam admitted. “He usually spends the day hiding out in his room. Sometimes I’m able to convince him to have a drink with me… but that’s about as far as it goes.”

  
Liam looked behind Brianna, lighting up a little. “Ah, there he is now.” They started walking toward where Liam saw the birthday boy, and she could soon see Drake, Hana, and Maxwell.

  
“Drake!” she called, unable to hide her grin. Just because he didn’t want her like that didn’t mean that she couldn’t build a better friendship with him. After the regatta, she saw it as totally possible to move passed the awkward rejection and straight into friendship. At least, that’s what she was telling herself.

 

“Why do you look so happy to see me?” Drake asked, his face scrunched in worry. Slowly his features warped into a look of dread. “Oh no… god no…”

 

Drake looked to Liam, then back to Brianna. “You didn’t.”

 

“Oh yes. Happy birthday,” Brianna said, a dumb grin on her face as she shot him finger guns. She felt unreasonably excited.

 

“Liam, _you told her_?” Drake turned to his best friend. She could see how surprised he was, but it made her want to giggle even more. It was having information about Drake, something that made her feel closer to him.

 

Liam pulled a mockingly regretful face. “My deepest apologies, Drake. I forgot that it was such a closely guarded secret.”

 

“It’s fine.” Drake’s face was suspiciously blank. “It doesn’t matter, because this is the last we’re ever going to speak of it ever again.”

“You don’t want to do something fun on your birthday?” Hana asked him, her lip pushing out in a pout. “Even _I_ was allowed petit fours and an hour playing with my father’s cat each year…”

 

Maxwell laughed. “Man, Drake, even Hana feels bad for you!”

 

Drake crossed his arms stubbornly, and Brianna was stricken by how young he looked, almost like a little boy pouting. “I don’t need fun to enjoy myself. Besides, what could you jokers possibly want to do that would be fun for me?”

 

_If only you knew._

 

“Are all Americans as fussy as Drake is about birthdays, Brianna?” Maxwell asked her, looking worried.

 

“Drake’s an American?” she asked, her gaze shifting to him as he gave her a slight smile.

 

“Half,” he said with a little nod. “On my mother’s side.”

“That gives me an idea…” Brianna said, tapping her chin lightly. “Do you have any American Western-themed bars here in Cordonia?”

 

Maxwell was already looking at his phone. “Checking on my phone now…”

 

“How about that, Drake? Whiskey—” she broke off and shot him a discreet wink, “mechanical bull riding, and some ol’ American fun.”

 

Drake’s eyes lit up a little, and she knew she had him. She had to admit, she felt a little victorious, finding an activity he’d like.  
  
“I guess it doesn’t sound _horrible_ … but I can’t ask you guys to sneak out for that,” Drake shrugged.

 

“Nonsense,” Liam replied quickly, his hand clapping on Drake’s shoulder. “I’d love to.”

 

“I’d also like to understand more of Brianna’s American culture!” Hana chirped, her face rosy with excitement.

 

Maxwell pumped his fist eagerly. “And I’ll take any excuse to drink and dance the night away! Plus, I just found the perfect place!”

 

He broke off into an exaggerated little dance, grabbing Hana’s hand and twisting next to her. Hana’s lips parted in surprise, and she watched Maxwell try to engage her in the dance carefully. Drake watched them, his eyes moving slowly to Brianna. The way they studied her made her want to bit her lip to keep from grinning stupidly. It was like he could see her thoughts, and she looked to Liam quickly, who was watching Hana wiggle helplessly. Could he not feel that, the energy that flowed between her and Drake?

 

“I don’t know… Do you really want to do this, Richardson?”

 

She arched her eyebrow in response. Did he care that much about her opinion? Or was he just being polite? Trying to figure him out was giving her a headache, and she knew it was all for nothing—she couldn’t seem to get it through her thick skull that he wasn’t interested. He certainly wasn’t acting like he was completely disinterested in her. Even so, she didn’t need to be—she shouldn’t be—even thinking about this.

 

“I almost think we _have_ to with that outfit she’s got on…” Hana smiled, nodding to Brianna’s dress.

 

“I say…” Brianna paused dramatically, her eyes flicking over the group, “we’re goin’ out tonight!”

 

“Yes!” Maxwell sang out.

  
“I must go prepare!” Hana announced, bouncing up on the balls of her feet gently.

 

Drake looked to Brianna again, the corner of his lip pulled up skeptically. “Yeah… something tells me this is going to be a night to remember. You gave me _finger guns_.”

  
“Shut up,” she laughed, pushing his shoulder gently. This was breezy and light. Just like a friendship.

 

* * *

 

 

The group disbanded, making plans to meet at the bar later that night. Maxwell escorted Brianna back to the limo. She was worried they’d miss the festival, but he promised there wasn’t much else worth seeing. Bertrand nodded stiffly, eating slices of a Cordonian apple. Brianna couldn’t help but shake her head at him; Bertrand wasn’t even flinching at the bitterness. Brianna and Maxwell kept their evening plans a secret, but she couldn’t help feeling a buzz of excitement every few minutes as she thought of sneaking out to the bar.

 

Brianna collapsed into bed as soon as they got back to the manor and allowed herself a small nap. Maxwell woke her up in time for dinner, but she chose to eat alone when she saw the only two ladies eating in the dining room were Olivia and Madeleine. She barely had time to freshen up before Maxwell was at her door again, ushering her through the quieting manor, and tucking her into the limo. They chatted excitedly the whole time, and Brianna had swapped her shoes for cowboy boots in anticipation for the event.

  
“Nice boots! Those are awesome.” Maxwell nodded appreciatively as he started to help her out of the limo once they pulled up at the bar.

 

“Thanks! They were actually my mom’s. I guess she was a bit of a farm girl,” Brianna smiled softly, kicking her leg out playfully behind her. For some reason she had never been able to part with the boots, but at least they worked for the night.

 

Maxwell held the door for her, and when she walked in she had to laugh. The place was aggressively American with wooden tables and chairs, a mechanical bull in the center of the bar, pounding rock music, and the lighting was all blue and red. Maxwell looked around the bar eagerly, rubbing his hands together.  
  
“The party has arrived!” he called out, shaking his hips toward the table that Drake, Hana, and Liam were at.

 

“Oh? Where?” Hana asked, looked around adorably. Brianna let out a snort of laughter, shaking her head. That had to be a hit on Maxwell’s self-esteem.

 

“It’s us, Hana. He means us,” Drake said.

 

“Exactly, my good man!” Maxwell smacked Drake on the back good naturedly. “As in, _we’re_ the life of the party. Or, me. Whatever works.”

 

“We… are?” Hana asked, looking to Drake questioningly.

 

“Well. Some of us,” Maxwell shrugged, glancing at Drake.

 

“I can’t believe you actually talked me in to this,” Drake shook his head, running his hand through his hair. It flopped the dark brown locks around and they settled all ruffled, making him look younger.

 

“First order of business… we’ve got to get you a birthday drink!” Brianna declared, pointing to the bar.

  
“I’ll buy the first round,” Liam offered, pulling out his wallet and waving it temptingly.

 

Brianna blew a raspberry with her mouth, shaking her head. “On his _birthday_? Any bartender with a heart would give him a _free_ drink to start the night off, don’t you think?”

 

“Free drinks are something that happens when you’re a _woman_ , Brianna.” Drake eyed her, and she met his eyes curiously. It always caught her off guard when he used her first

name. “Even on my twenty-first birthday I didn’t get so much as a free drop from anyone.”

 

“No? Well, let me see what I can do. Come on, Drake,” she grabbed his hand and tugged him toward the bar. He groaned, but obliged. She propped herself up on the bar, waiting until the bartender looked over. Brianna waved at him, a grin on her face.

 

“Hey, bartender, my friend here is celebrating his birthday today! Can we get a drink on the house?” she said in a sweet voice, turning to Drake. The bartender looked between them, considering her request, and then nodded.

 

“It’s like everything I know is wrong…” Drake muttered, shaking his head.

 

“Heh. Good of you to admit it.”

 

Drake snapped his fingers. “No, wait. I figured it out. Of course he’ll do it for you. No one says no to a hot girl.”

 

She felt her face flush. He absolutely just called her hot. Should she address the fact he called her hot? No. But she couldn’t ignore that he called her hot.

 

_Hot?!_

 

“Drake, you definitely just called me hot.”

 

Drake seemed flustered, and she could see his cheeks tinged with pink. “I just meant… from _his_ perspective….”  
  
She smiled at him kindly. It was unfair to tease him like that when he made his feelings clear already. “Suuuure. Besides, I told him the drink was for you. Maybe he thinks _you’re_ hot,” she suggested, her eyes sparkling.

  
“I have been told I’m quite a catch, but in my experience guys don’t get free drinks,” he replied with a serious nod.

  
“Until today!”

  
“Yeah, yeah. Anyway, stop holdin’ up the line. What am I having?”

 

Brianna looked at the bartender and back to Drake, considering the birthday boy carefully. Part of her wanted to get him a ridiculously fruity cocktail, but she asked the bartender for whisky. It was a challenge to get Drake out anyway, she didn’t want to torment him the entire time.

 

“It’s really starting to feel like my birthday now,” he said with a grin, holding up the glass of whisky. Brianna held her own glass up, and they clinked their cups together and each took a sip.

  
Drake searched her eyes, and she could see a warmth there. “Gotta admit, I thought you might make me suffer,” he confessed.

 

“What can I say? It’s your birthday,” she laughed. “Everyone deserves to have at least _one_ day out of the year when people are nice to them.”

 

“A guy could get used to this.”

 

_Me too._

“There you two are!” Hana called, bouncing up to them with a girlish smile. Maxwell followed, his thumb pointed the mechanical bull and a gleam in his eye.

 

“Prince Liam just paid the guy operating the mechanical bull. He wants Drake to ride!”

 

Brianna burst out into laughter. That was a sight she wanted to see, and she would have gladly paid to make it happen. Drake was holding his hands up, palms out, and he looked at them in disbelief.  
  
“Me? No way.” Drake’s face was stoic, a clear no.

 

“I figured you wouldn’t want to, but Liam says you’re some kind of expert…” Maxwell broke off with a shrug, looking to Brianna. She raised an eyebrow quizzically, looking to Drake.

  
“Is that true?” she asked him.

  
“There’s only one way you’d get to find out, and I’m not drunk enough to make a fool of myself yet.”

  
“Yet?” Brianna challenged, and he offered her a small smile.

 

“Personally, I’d rather see Hana try.” Maxwell looked to her, and her eyebrows immediately shot up.

  
“Oh!” she gasped. “I couldn’t. I wouldn’t even know where to begin.”  
  
“Yeah, that’s why it’s be fun!” Maxwell laughed. “Okay, tire-breaker vote… Brianna! Hana or Drake?”

 

“Hmm…” Brianna looked between to two dramatically. “It’s gotta be Drake. You’re the birthday boy, after all!”

 

“Yeah, yeah. So you keep telling me.”

 

“Drake! Drake! Drake!” Maxwell started chanting, hitting his fist against the table in a chant.

 

“Okay, okay!” Drake snapped, but he was smiling faintly. “I’ll do it. Just… quiet down. You’re embarrassing me.”

  
Maxwell rolled his eyes dramatically. “That’s kind of the whole point…”

 

“Alright Drake,” Brianna looked to him mischievously. “Let’s get a round of shots in you so you feel drunk enough to embarrass yourself.”

 

* * *

 

 

The group made their way through a round or two (okay, three) of shots, and finally Drake was loosening up. Hana even did one shot with the group but bowed out of the rest, but clapped appreciatively for the rest of them as they downed their alcohol. Brianna was sparkling with happiness as she looked around the table at her friends, feeling warm and overjoyed.

 

“You wanna see talent?” Drake asked, standing up. “Those cowboy boots got nothin’ on me, Richardson.”  
  
He made his way over to the bull and he slung a leg over the machine casually, hoisting himself up with an unexpected grace. “How do you start this thing?” he asked, looking around.

 

Suddenly the bull jolted to life and began bucking and twisting. Brianna stood up, moving closer to watch Drake, and the rest of the group joined. They cheered as Drake expertly swiveled his hips in time with the bull, throwing his hand back to keep the perfect balance.  
  
“Hah!” he called to his audience, “not even a challenge.”

 

The bull, as if sentient, picked up speed and increased the vigor of its bucks. Drake’s face immediately registered surprise as he worked hard to stay perched on the bull. Brianna watched his body move in sync with the bull and struggled to keep her thoughts somewhere in the PG-13 zone.

  
“Okay, that’s a little harder…” Drake admitted, and Brianna couldn’t help bubbling with laughter, clapping excitedly. She moved to sit on the ledge of the pen, raising her hands around her mouth and cupping them to add to her volume.

  
“Come on, birthday boy! You can last longer than that!” she shouted, and he shot her a look in response. It was somewhere between exasperation and humour. He gripped the bull tighter, even as it wildly bucked and pivoted. Drake looked at Brianna, an exhilarated grin on his face, lighting his features up. She pushed off the edge, standing in the pen, and cheered him on.

 

“Is that all you’ve got, bull?” he called proudly. A second later, the bull sped to a complete circle and bucked hard, throwing Drake off. He barreled into Brianna, and she tumbled onto him, laughing giddily. They stopped tumbling in a mess of limbs, her on top of him, and he looked up at her, his eyes wide.

  
“Whoa! Sorry, Richardson.”

 

“Heh. My own fault for making you do it,” she said, rolling off of him with only a slight reluctance. Drake pushed himself up and offered her a hand which she took gratefully.  
  
“True.”

  
The band struck up a new song, moving into a more dance friendly mix, and Maxwell’s eyes lit up.  
  
“We should hit the dance floor!” he exclaimed, his wild eyes flicking to the group.

 

Hana frowned, looking to the dance floor where people were grinding, wiggling, and busting a variety of moves. “I don’t think you can waltz to this,” she said.

 

“Yeah, exactly the point,” Maxwell nodded eagerly. “I mean _really_ dance. Like, the fun kind of dancing.”

 

Hana blinked slowly. “The… fun… kind? What would that entail?”

 

“I could tell you, but it’s going to be a lot more fun to show you.” Maxwell turned on his heel and moved smoothly to the dance floor, the group following him expectantly. Brianna set a cowboy boot on the dance floor and grabbed Liam’s hand in hers.  
  
“Lady Brianna…” he said smoothly, following her lead onto the dance floor. The music was loud, pounding in her bones.  
  
“We’re not at some courtly royal function,” she teased, moving her hips to the beat as her arms raised, feeling the vibe. “It’s just Brianna right now.”

 

“Of course,” he agreed, watching her as she moved closer to him, swaying against his body. Liam’s cheeks turned red, and she loved it. She wanted to press her ass against him, tease him, making him want her, but they were still in public and she knew it was the alcohol (mostly) talking.

  
“Liam…” she purred, shaking her head at him teasingly. “What could you possibly be thinking right now?

 

Liam’s lips curved up in a coy smile. “Ahem. Just how enjoyable it is to have you so close…”

 

“That’s funny. I was just thinking the same thing…”

  
Liam’s hand found her waist and he pulled her closer, moving his own hips to the thrumming beat. “Even in a crowded country bar, it’s amazing how everyone else in the room seems to fall away when I look into your eyes…” he said, leaning down to speak in her ear. It sent goosebumps down her arms, and she took a hesitant step back.  
  
“I just need some air,” she excused herself, and Liam nodded politely.

 

Brianna found someone outside finishing a cigarette, and she leaned against the railing, inhaling the smoke. It made her fingers twitch, and she bummed a smoke off the stranger as they went back to the bar, feeling embarrassed until she lit it and took a deep inhale. The smoke was immediately soothing in her lungs, and she exhaled slowly.

 

This was harder than she thought. She couldn’t help feeling like she was stuck in the middle of a sticky situation, and the nicer Liam was to her, the more he acted like he wanted her, it was even harder for her. Why couldn’t she just get over this mental block?

  
“You smoke?”

 

She turned, her heart pounding. Drake was watching her, his arms crossed. His expression was stone, but she thought he looked disappointed.

 

“Not usually,” she admitted, tapping the ash off into the ash tray. “I used to, but I quit months ago. I just needed it tonight.”

 

He watched her for a moment and shook his head, leaning beside her. He held out his hand, and she passed him the smoke casually. Drake accepted it and took an expert drag. It surprised her, and she was about to ask him about it, but he spoke without her prompting.

  
“I used to, too. For a while. I stopped years ago, after my father…” he shrugged, handing it back to her. “Not worth starting again.”

 

Brianna stubbed it out, hating to admit he was right. “Yeah. You know, it does feel good to be doing something normal for once, though.”

 

“You’re not into the princess treatment?” Drake asked, his eyes narrowing at her.

 

“Sure, it’s fun.” Brianna shrugged. “I didn’t realize how much I missed doing just… casual stuff though. Like music. Damn, I missed music,” she chuckled drily. He was staring at her with intensity.  
  
“Really?”

 

“Drake, I don’t know how to convince you I’m just a normal person in a weird situation. I used to waitress. I had to pinch pennies to go to university and work the entire time… this is so weird to me,” Brianna said with a wave around, “being in this ‘social season.’ I don’t know. I’m rambling.”

 

“I get it.”

 

“I know you do,” she said softly, and their eyes were sparking back and forth as their gaze lingered. She cleared her throat, breaking the moment. “You’re not dancing up a storm in there?”

 

“I’m not really the kind of guy who dances.”

 

“Seriously? Just sway side to side and you’re basically set.”

 

“Really?” Drake frowned, and she realized he was embarrassed. It was so engaging, and she rested her arms on the table, leaning toward him. “According to Maxwell, there’s a lot more to it than that.”

  
Brianna looked into the bar, and she could see Maxwell breakdancing in the middle of the floor, striking crazy poses. “That was… impressive,” she said quietly, and Drake nodded slowly.

  
“I’m never going to be like Maxwell.”

They watched as Maxwell shimmied his way over to a group of girls who looked like they belonged to a bachelorette party.

  
Brianna snorted. “I think the world can only handle _one_ Maxwell. Besides, why would you want to be like Maxwell? You’ve got a good thing going.”  
  
“Heh.” Drake sneered, but when she turned to look at him, she could see he was smiling.

 

“Besides, there’s a reason I’m out here dancing with you, and not him.”

  
“We’re not dancing, Richardson.”

 

“Oh, right.” She stood and offered her hand. The beat from inside was loud enough for them out on the deck, and he sighed but accepted, and soon they were swaying together. He wasn’t as smooth as Liam, but the way his eyes watched her was intoxicating.

 

“Didn’t want to try to keep up with his acrobatics?” Drake suggested.

 

“Maybe I like your style better,” she said, moving a little closer and letting her body move with the rhythm. His eyes followed her serpentine movements, and she felt his hand drift to her waist gently. The liquor warmed her limbs, and she smiled lazily at him.

 

“Come on Richardson,” he grinned, “it’s more like a lack of style than anything else.”

 

“Is this a new, humble Drake?”

 

“Only on the dance floor, my one weakness.”

 

“I thought I was your one weakness.” Brianna smirked, watching him falter.

 

“I…”

 

“I mean, I’m the only one who doesn’t let you get away with anything… and I got you out here tonight, didn’t I?” she clarified, feeling a little guilty about teasing him.

 

“As far as weaknesses go, you’re not the worst, Richardson,” he conceded, his eyes sparkling. She hadn’t really noticed before, but his eyes were so much greener than brown. They looked brown from afar, but this close, they were ringed with green, a really dark forest colour, and around the pupil, too. It was really only the middle circle that was a hazel…

 

“I never noticed your eyes are so green,” she murmured. Drake didn’t say anything, but he searched her eyes with warmth. They finished dancing to the song that was playing, and they stood closely, watching each other. Finally, Drake shook his head and opened the door back to the bar, letting her lead the way. They rejoined the group in time for Maxwell to show Hana a jerky dance move.

 

“And this, Hana, is ‘the sprinkler’,” he yelled.

 

“Ooh, do you have sprinkles?” Hana asked, her face brightening.

 

“It’s…water.” Maxwell mimicked the move again, trying to explain the components of a sprinkler represented in his arms. “Just forget it,” he sighed loudly.

 

They broke out into laughter and Brianna shimmied over to Hana, dancing with her and flipping her hair around. Another round of shots passed.

  
“Liam, get in the middle of the circle and show us a move!” Brianna squealed in delight.

 

The prince laughed. “I couldn’t possibly.”

 

“Do it!” Drake called, nodding eagerly, his smile broad and drunken.

 

Maxwell started chanting Liam’s name and Brianna joined in, giggling.

 

“Very well, if it’ll avoid causing a scene…” Liam trailed off, looking around at the group with a little sparkle in his eye. Brianna loved when he let loose like this, and she couldn’t help but yelp in surprise when Liam gave a little clap, backed up, and ran into a flip.

 

“Whoa!” she exclaimed, her eyes comically wide. “I didn’t know you had moved like that!”

 

Liam laughed, his face breaking into a grin. “As part of my education, my parents had me take a few years of gymnastics. I’m afraid that’s more or less all I remember.”

 

Maxwell shot him an enthusiastic thumbs up. “It’s enough.”

 

The music started winding down, and everyone looked around. Somehow the night had passed, and it looked like everyone was packing up.

  
“We shut this place _down_!” Maxwell cheered.

 

“What did you think, Hana?” Brianna turned to her friend, smiling warmly. Hana looked a little shell-shocked, but excited.

 

“This was scary… but a fun kind of scary?” she suggested, giggling.

 

Maxwell gave her a sloppy high-five. “You’ll learn to love going out. Just wait until next time.”

 

“Next time?” Hana stammered, looking around. Brianna shot her a wink.

 

“I hope there’s a next time… as long as we can find another way to sneak out,” Liam agreed.

 

“We’ll make it happen,” Brianna promised.

 

Everyone made their way to the door, but Brianna turned back to see Drake lingering. She held back and made her way over to him, smiling gently.

  
“Not ready for your birthday to be over?” she joked warmly, nudging his shoulder.

 

“Heh. Maybe.” Drake looked around the bar, and she could see his shoulders droop. “You know, to tell you the truth, I always dreaded my birthday when I was a kid. My parents tried hard, really hard, to give me the best birthday they could. But I kind of always knew that no matter what they did, Prince Liam’s parents were going to top it.”

 

Brianna’s brow furrowed in response, and she searched his face. It seemed odd for Drake to pinpoint something like that as he didn’t seem the kind of person to be bothered about not getting a perfect birthday… but she supposed living life essentially in Liam’s shadow must have taken a toll. After all, hadn’t living with Hunter for just a few years done a number on her?

 

“Tell me,” Brianna said softly, and he turned to her, smiling sadly.

  
“My parents got me a toy dinosaur? Liam’s parents got the entire palace staff to dress up like dinosaurs for _his_ birthday. My parents got me a cake shaped like a car? Liam’s parents got him a cake the _size_ of a car.”

 

“That must have been hard,” she offered weakly. Drake didn’t seem bitter about any of this, but there was something in his tone.

 

He shrugged. “I mean, sure, it wasn’t _easy_ , but I knew we were lucky to live at the palace and even be _invited_ to Liam’s birthdays… so I didn’t really care about that stuff. Never saw these birthday parties as a competition.”

  
“But…” she coaxed, and he ran his hand through his hair.

 

“But they were hell on my parents. They knew they could never even come close to what my best friend was getting… and that killed them.” Drake’s face looked pained, and she couldn’t express how badly she wanted to pull him into a hug. Suddenly his whole mood shifted, and he was beaming. “So around when I was nine or ten, I made a decision to stop trying. No more birthday parties, no more cakes, no more presents… all I wanted was to spend the day with my family doing something fun.”

 

Drake seemed to get lost in the happy memories, and she loved watching the way his face lit up as he spoke.

 

“My parents loved it. Made them feel like they could really give me something special.”

 

“Awww…” Brianna cooed jokingly, but she could feel her eyes brimming with tears. They were a large part genuine, but certainly fueled by alcohol.

 

“Yeah, yeah. I know. I’m a total marshmallow. Just don’t tell anyone else.”

  
Brianna could feel herself falling for him a little more. “No promises… but…”

 

“But?” he asked, an eyebrow cocked.

  
“Drake, I hope I didn’t get in the way of any family traditions tonight.” She was trying to keep her tone casual, but her face was etched with worry. Brianna was sad to think that she might have ruined his evening by forcing him out?

 

“Nah,” he replied easily, leaning against the wall. “My family’s not here anymore, so I wasn’t really expecting to do anything tonight.”

  
She nodded, looking around at the bar. It had been a fun night.

  
“Anyway, tonight has actually been… well, it’s really been _fun_ ,” Drake said with a chuckle. “And if I’m being honest with myself, it’s felt a lot more like those special birthdays with my family than I thought it could…”  
  
“Drake, are you saying I’m family now?” Brianna asked with a playful smile. Drake met her eyes, staring at her for a long moment before breaking off and looking away.  
  
“Not exactly.” His voice was rough, husky with emotion. A smile played at his lips after a beat. “But… maybe we _are_ friends. I’m glad you dragged me out.”

 

“Wow…” Brianna said breathily. Drake’s head tilted curiously and she gave him a stupid smile. “You’re drunker than I thought.”

  
“Not as bad as you, Richardson.”  
  
“Fair enough,” she giggled, looking to the door.

 

“Anyway, we should call it a night,” Drake said, clapping her on her shoulder affectionally. His hand was so hon on her bare shoulders, and he retreated it too quickly. They moved away for each other, creating space she hadn’t realized they’d been closing.  
  
“Yeah…” she said softly, taking a little step closer to him. Before he could argue, she hugged him. Tightly. Brianna let herself savor his woodsy scent for just a second, and then she broke the silence. “I’m here for you. Any time.”

 

“Richardson!” Drake’s voice was shocked, and she could feel his arms on her shoulders, as if he was going to push her away.

  
“Yes?”

 

His arms wrapped around her, rubbing her back gently. “…Thanks.”

 

Brianna let him go, her smile gentle. “Any time.” On her tip toes, she leaned in close to him, and he stooped down so she could whisper in his ear.  
  
“Happy birthday, Drake.”

 

She left the bar, not wanting to look back and see his face. They piled into the limo, the atmosphere subdued as everyone was yawning and making small chat about the continued festivities tomorrow. Brianna tuned it out for the time being, looking out the window and letting her mind wander.

 

Every day this social season felt less like a competition, and that worried her. Brianna couldn’t deny her feelings were ensnaring with every event, tangling around the people in this limo.

  
Maxwell was earnestly trying to explain to Hana the different dance styles, and Drake was laughing with Liam over some memory from her childhood.

  
She was happy, and, for now, that’s all that mattered.

 

* * *

* * *

 


	12. Chapter Twelve: The Quipping Queen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brianna bakes a pie, finds power, abuses it, and then assesses her life. 
> 
> **NSFW: Language and sexual content.**

 

* * *

* * *

 

The Apple Blossom Festival continued, despite her slight hangover. Early in the morning, when the earliest rays of sun were struggling to break into her window, she woke up groggily to Maxwell and Bertrand calling her name from the hallway.

 

“Rise and shine, little blossom!” Maxwell sang as she opened the door. She propped herself up, blinking against the light in the room.  
  
“What?” she asked stupidly.

 

“Day two of the Apple Blossom Festival. I hope you’re prepared to fight for your time with the prince, Brianna.” Bertrand’s arms were crossed, and he was appraising her carefully. He didn’t look pleased.

 

“And for all the apples!” Maxwell beamed at her. “You’ve made an apple pie before, right? And you’re pretty good at planting apple trees?”

 

Cooking wasn’t one of her strengths. And the apple trees? Well, she could use a shovel, she supposed. “Er…” she trailed off nervously.

 

Out of the frying pan into the fire.  
  
“Meet us outside in twenty minutes.” Bertrand turned, and Maxwell gave her a quick thumbs up, following his brother down the hall. Brianna closed her door in relief, leaning against it. She noticed there was a little post it under her door, folded in half, and she bent down to scoop it up. It was tied around an iPod, and the note read:

_R,  
Music missed you too._

 

R? It had to be Drake’s angular, sharp writing. Brianna felt a little spark of pleasure that he’d been thinking of her, but felt it was almost… too romantic for him, maybe? Had he done this after she mentioned that she missed music last night? She wasn’t sure how she felt, in honesty. She slipped the headphones in, ready for the soothing music to wash over her. The first song in the queue was I’m On Fire, a Bruce Springsteen song. As she pressed play, she was reminded of her father—he loved music like this. She’d heard the song before, but she hadn’t really dissected the lyrics and looked for meaning. Brianna swallowed thickly as Springsteen’s croon took her along the melody as she felt her brow furrow in thought.

 

As he sang about his bad desire, and his questions for the women’s other man, Brianna felt frozen. She was supposed to be getting ready, but she was just staring at herself in the mirror, searching her eyes for some kind of answer to a question she didn’t even know. Was Drake trying to say something about Liam? Was she reading too much into the song’s meaning in relation to their dynamic? Why had he even sent her this? Had he loaded the song on here on purpose?

 

Brianna let out a long breath. This was too much. What if Drake was just recommending this song in a series of many? She tried to skip it but realized it was the only song on the device. Brianna listened to it on repeat, letting her mind gloss over the details. For now, she just wanted to hear the melody and enjoy it for what it was. It wasn’t until she went to apply mascara that she realized she was crying.

 

* * *

 

  
Outside the manor, Brianna nearly bumped into Bertrand as he hovered near the grand double doors. Her mind was elsewhere, but Bertrand didn’t seem to notice. He grabbed her shoulders gently, steadying her.  
  
“Brianna, there you are. I’m here to prepare you for today’s events at the Apple Blossom Festival.”

 

“Way ahead of you,” Brianna said happily. “I just ate an apple tart for breakfast with apple cider and whipped apple butter, so I think I’m about as ready as I can be.” Brianna patter her stomach proudly. Indeed, she had gotten caught in the kitchen by all the delicious smells and stopped for a full breakfast. With the iPod tucked away in her bedroom, she could almost forget about her tumultuous thoughts.

 

“I don’t care about your food consumption. I care about how you’re going to appear today.” His tone was biting, but she would have been concerned if it was too compassionate. “You should care too. The best dressed lady will be crowned the Apple Queen…”

 

“Ooooo…” she replied, looking at him carefully, her lips curving excitedly. The anticipation of a potential fake nobility was delightful. “What’s that?”

 

“It’s an amusing tradition where the festival-goers vote on who will run the Apple Court. You’d get extra publicity, the favor of the actual queen, and the ability to boss people around for an hour.”

 

“Interesting. The best dressed, huh? Something tells me you’ve got an outfit in mind that beats this,” she said, motioning down to her reused outfit from yesterday—though she did add her cowboy boots and a jean jacket to change it up.

 

“There’s no time to lose.”

 

Bertrand spun on his heel, motioning for her to follow, and led her back into the manor and to the pop-up boutique. When they entered the boutique, Bertrand went and spoke to the seamstress who began searching the various garment bags for something. He leaned closer to Brianna, lowering his voice.

 

“Through a series of promises and threats, I was able to procure a historically accurate rendition of a Cordonian peasant’s best gown from the country’s most prestigious stage production company, available on consignment. With this dress, you’ll be sure to win the title of Apple Queen!” he declared excitedly as the shop assistant handed over the garment bag. There was a rare sparkle in Bertrand’s eyes, and he was even smiling. She took the bag and brought it to the changing room. She slipped out of her clothes and unzipped the garment bag, appraising the dress cautiously.

 

It was a wonderfully quaint dress in cobalt blue with a flower-patterned hem, poufy white sleeves, and careful sewing work. Nothing she’d ever wear normally. She stepped out, combing her fingers through her slightly tousled curls, turning to Bertrand for approval. His eyes were raking over her, like a cowboy might examine a horse, before he nodded curtly.

 

“How this?” she asked, doing a small spin to put the skirt in motion. “Are you sure it’s not… too silly?”

 

“It’s perfect. You can thank me later,” he replied easily, his smile wider than she had ever seen. In a moment it had fallen back to the more natural reserved expression. “Come, we’re overdue to meet Maxwell.”

 

 

As she and Bertrand reached the apple orchard, she could spot Maxwell. He noticed them and offered an exaggerated wave.

  
“Hey, Brianna, ready to show off your baking skills?”

 

“I… can toast my own Pop-Tarts?” she suggested weakly, offering a shaky smile. “Two at a time!”

 

“Even a child can accomplish that,” Bertrand snapped, and it brought her back to the last time she really tried to cook something other than the basics for Hunter.

 

 

* * *

* * *

 

_“It’s… oh, Hunter, I know it’s not great, but it’s really not bad,” she said, her voice charmingly girlish as she playfully pouted at her boyfriend. The soufflé in front of them was fallen and a little gooey in the middle, but she had been labouring over the recipe for hours and couldn’t get it quite right._

_“Hmmm…” The noise was like a rumble in his chest as he moved behind her, resting his hand on her ass. A shiver of excitement ran up her spine. Since moving in with Hunter after graduation, he had been planning the perfect dinner party for them to ‘enter high society’. The notion made her laugh. They weren’t a retired Upper East Side New York couple, but Hunter’s social standing meant a lot to him, and she wanted to help him._

_  
Hunter’s hand drifted away, and she loosened her muscles. The sharp blow of his palm against her rear was startling, and it elicited a surprised gasp from her._

_“You can’t cook a soufflé. What am I going to do with you?” His voice was low as he pressed himself behind her, his breath hot and ticklish in her ear. Brianna’s skin was prickling with heat and stinging after he smacked her. She was embarrassed to admit she liked it. She wiggled against him. Hunter chuckled in response, a dangerous noise, and she could feel his erection pressing against her._

_“I’ll have to fuck you and make you beg for me to let you cum…” he spoke, his hands running up her bare legs, under her dress. Hunter pushed her underwear aside, unzipping his pants as he pushed into her. She moaned in response, bending over the dining room table, eager for him. “I’m not going to let you cum until you can tell me the answer.”_

_He moved against her roughly, and when she was panting and begging him for release, he pulled out. She laughed in exasperation, waiting, but he wasn’t kidding. He left her frustrated, confused, and hurt, his footsteps fading away as he moved out of the kitchen._

_Brianna went and looked up several cooking blogs, researching their soufflé secrets. She baked another failed attempt, but on the second try she could see the soufflé rising out of the ceramic bowl. With trembling hands, she set it down and examined it. Finally, she called him into the dining room and bit her nails as he scrutinized her cooking. How desperate she was to please him, to make him proud. Her entire self-worth was poured into those shapely lips of his. If they curled up in admiration, she’d be ecstatic._

_“Much better. Good girl.”_

_A smile crossed his lips, and her shoulders relaxed in relief. Hunter grabbed a fork and tried a bite of the delicate soufflé, and he chewed thoughtfully, watching her. When he was satisfied, he lifted her up onto the table, parted her legs, and rewarded her._

* * *

* * *

 

 

“You okay?” Maxwell asked her, tapping her shoulder gently.

 

“Yeah,” she nodded, clearing her head from those memories of Hunter, her cheeks flushed. They seemed to have come out of nowhere, and she didn’t like how these situations forced her into revisiting them. “Why would my baking skills matter out here in the orchard?”

 

“Because…” Maxwell said, clapping her on the back. “The next event of the Apple Blossom Festival involves baking an apple pie for the queen. Remember?”

 

“I… I thought you were joking,” she said, thinking back to Maxwell’s speech this morning. “Wait, for the queen?”

 

Brianna’s face must have registered more shock than she meant it to, because Bertrand clicked his tongue in response.  
  
“Yes, today is all about gaining the queen’s favour. As we draw closer to the coronation, she’ll be testing all the potential candidates. Be careful what you say around her,” he warned.

  
“When am I _not_ careful?” Brianna mumbled.

  
“It’d also help if you won the pie-baking contest,” Maxwell offered. He had a sort of rueful smile that made her think that he understood how she was feeling.

 

“Roger that.”

 

“But you won’t be baking alone! It’s a team event, so you can rely on the other ladies if you need to. Some of them are absolutely amazing bakers!” Maxwell’s excitement was contagious, and she felt a lot more optimistic about the opportunity now.

  
“Really? Hell yeah,” she grinned in relief, but Bertrand scoffed and was about to scold her on her language when Brianna forged ahead. “I mean, I’m sure Hana could whip up an apple pie even if she was blindfolded.”

 

“Maybe you can get on her team!” Maxwell suggested, motioning to where the ladies were gathering for the royal bake-off. Brianna gave the brothers a slight wave as she made her way to the gathering spot.

  
“Make House Beaumont proud,” Bertrand whispered fiercely behind her. She bit her lip and carried forward, resisting the overwhelming urge to roll her eyes.

 

The ladies were standing in a sort of loose circle, gossiping, and she gave Hana a tight smile as she joined the group. Letting loose at the bar last night had really given her a chance to relax and stop fretting about being judged so much, but she was already rolling her shoulder back, elongating her neck, and monitoring her facial expressions again.

 

Queen Regina joined them, her quiet confidence radiating with every step. “Greetings ladies,” she spoke warmly, her eyes passing over each girl. “I’m glad to see everyone here again. We will soon be dividing into two teams to partake in the apple pie baking contest. I’ve decided that Olivia will captain one team and Madeleine the other. Ladies, please select your teams.”

Brianna hid a grimace as Olivia and Madeleine turned the face the other ladies. It was clear each of them was planning to win.  
  
“I choose Lady Penelope,” Madeleine began, and Penelope clapped lightly.

  
“Ohhh, we’ll bake poodle-shaped pie crumpets!”

  
“No.” Brianna let out a snort of laughter, turning it into a cough quickly as Madeleine shot her a pointed look.

 

“Okay…” Penelope sighed, moving to stand beside her team leader.

 

“Lady Kiara,” Olivia called.

 

Kiara moved forward gracefully. “Merci.”

 

It dwindled down to just Brianna and Hana, and Olivia’s eyes flashed as she looked between them.

 

“Look at the two strays. Come on, Brianna, I’ll adopt you. You’re not as mangy as Hana,” she laughed unkindly.

 

“We’re a pair,” Brianna shot back with a diplomatic smile. “If you adopt one of us, you have to adopt both of us.”  
  
There was a time where Brianna would have pulled that move strictly in the desire to win the competition, but now she genuinely didn’t want Hana’s feelings to be hurt and enjoyed her company. Brianna assumed that didn’t bode well for winning the prince’s hand, but she was realizing there was more important things in life.

 

“Two undesirables on one team? That’s just _vile_ ,” Olivia sneered.

 

“I don’t really care. You can have both of them,” Madeleine said, turning her back to them and beginning to instruct her team.

 

“Hana’s with me!” Brianna repeated, pulling Hana’s arm to force her to stand closer.  
  
“Yes, I am!” Hana echoed.

 

Olivia’s team moved toward the baking set up and the girls began to follow, but the queen pulled Brianna side smoothly.

  
“Lady Brianna, I hope you’ll exceed expectations like last time,” Regina said, her eyes appraising Brianna closely.

 

“Don’t worry, I’ll bake you something as American as apple pie,” Brianna bluffed smoothly, her face breaking into a pretty smile.

 

“I imagine you’ve had some decent apple pies from your homeland. Though, I expect after today, you’ll be saying ‘as Cordonian as apple pie.’”

 

Brianna raised her eyebrows, delighting in sharing in this banter with the queen. It made her seem so much less intimidating. “How good are your pies supposed to be?”

 

“World-renowned,” Regina replied effortlessly, allowing Brianna a rare smile. “Best of luck, Lady Brianna. You’re going to need it.”

 

Brianna gave a polite curtsy and joined her team as they organized the kitchen quickly. Her mind was racing at the queen’s words… did she know that Brianna was bluffing about being a good cook? It was unlikely, and she assumed the queen was just being polite, but it was beginning to rattle her… had she not been thinking about the situation enough before? Was she overthinking it now?

 

“Brianna, Hana, cut the apples. That should be a simple enough task that even you can handle,” Olivia instructed, breaking Brianna’s self doubt spiral.

  
“But I…” Hana trailed off as Olivia walked away.

 

“I appreciate your chef skills, Hana. We’ve got this.”

 

The ladies spread out, taking their positions, waiting for Queen Regina’s official start. The queen stood at a podium, and she looked around at the baking area with pride. “Let the great Cordonian bake-off begin!”

 

It was a flurry of activity. Olivia immediately slammed a basket brimming with apples down in front of Brianna and Hana.

  
“Get to work,” Olivia commanded. The girls did as she asked and began peeling and slicing the apples. Brianna settled on peeling them as it was harder to make mistakes that way, while Hana expertly chopped uniform slices.  
  
“Okay, that’s done. Let’s see…” Brianna peeked at the photocopied recipe card. “The recipe says we should add two cups of sliced apples.”

 

“But we’re doubling the size of the pie, so we should add four cups,” Hana corrected, pulling out the measuring cups.

  
“I’ll do the measuring,” Brianna offered.

  
“Okay! I’ll start getting the spices together.”

 

Brianna set aside the sliced apples, peeking at the other team. They seemed to be doing well, but it was hard to tell. Hana made her way back, her arms full of spices.  
  
“That looks perfect!” she said, peering in the bowl of apples.

 

“Thanks! I’ll tell Olivia we’ve done our job. Hey, Olivia!” Brianna called. It seemed she was on the other side of the station, near the other team’s kitchen. With a sigh, Brianna made her way over to Olivia, who hid two shakers behind her back as soon as she approached.

  
“The apples are ready,” Brianna told the team leader, who looked flustered.

 

“Uh… good,” Olivia replied, her eyes darting away quickly.

 

“What are you doing?” Brianna asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.

 

“Official captain business.”

 

“Riiiiight…” Brianna drawled, crossing her arms. “What are you _really_ doing?”

 

Olivia looked around for any potential eavesdroppers, which was ridiculous considering literally everyone else was baking, and dropped her voice to a whisper.

 

“I’m switching the salt and sugar labels for the other team. Now that you know, you can spare me your moralizing and leave. I don’t have much time.”

 

“You shouldn’t do that.”

 

“You say that like it’s going to stop me.”

 

Brianna shrugged, but her face was tense. “You know it’s wrong.”

 

“ _Duh_. But I aim to win. Now, leave.”

 

“Only if you leave with me. We’ll win this bake-off fair and square.”

 

Olivia rolled her eyes, but she noticed Penelope walking closer and slammed the shakers down. “Ugh! Fine. You already ruined my one chance anyway.” She walked away, her long nails digging into Brianna’s arm as she dragged her along.

  
“Now, go sit by the oven and don’t touch anything.”

 

Brianna lingered by the wood-fired oven, letting her eyes roam freely. Usually this treatment would have made her upset, but she was honestly glad to be freed of the responsibility of producing a good pie. She waved Hana over as soon as she was able to.

 

“The pie is almost ready to be baked! Want to help me decorate it before it goes in the oven?” Hana asked sweetly.

 

“Does this include a taste test?”

 

“There _is_ leftover apple filling…”

 

“Consider me at your command,” Brianna grinned, following Hana as she explained her vision for the pie.  
  
“I want to add a little flair to the pie, so I’ll bake it with a pretty design… though I’m not sure what the design should be. What do you think the queen would like?”  
  
Brianna tugged on a piece of her hair, twirling it absentmindedly. “We should add… hmmmm… oh, what about the Cordonian royal seal? It’s a pie fit for a queen after all.”

  
“The seal is a bit complicated, but I love a challenge!” Hana toiled away at the dough, humming as she formed the rough outline of the Cordonian seal.

 

“Wow… you’re really amazing at this,” Brianna said after a few minutes of watching Hana work with the dough. Hana’s fingers worked quickly but delicately, and it was damn impressive.

  
“You sound so surprised,” Hana laughed.

  
“Just… very impressed. I’m not really handy in the kitchen, so this is really cool to see.”

  
Kiara walked by with a bag of sugar and stopped at the sight of Hana working on the pie dough. “Hey!” she exclaimed angrily, “you’re not supposed to—”

 

She peered closer at the crest, her words stopping abruptly as she noticed the design Hana worked on. “Whoa… tres beau.”

 

“You think the queen will like it?” Brianna asked, and Kiara nodded.

 

“She’d be a fool not to.”

 

“Let’s bake this masterpiece!”

 

Kiara scooped up the freshly decorated pie and walked over to the oven, teetering on her high heels. “One pie, coming right u—”

 

The pie slipped from her fingers, but Brianna had been following Kiara closely, and she was able to dive for it, catching it before it hit the ground.  
  
“Got it!” she shouted, perhaps a little too loudly.

  
“Wow…” Kiara exhaled sharply, shaking her head.

 

“That was spectacular!” Hana cheered as Brianna stood carefully. She moved slowly to the oven and set the pie inside tenderly. The entire team let out a relieved breath once the oven door closed. Brianna grabbed two bottles of water and met Hana under a tree to relax while the pie baked. They sipped on the ice-cold water as the sun filtered through the tree leaves.

  
“So, Hana… let me guess. Baking is another one those skills you had to learn.”

 

Hana nodded. “‘The way to man’s heart is through his stomach’ as my mother used to say. But at least I got to taste test all of my creations, including sneaking in some uncooked batter every now and then.”

 

“As is the chef’s right!” Brianna agreed heartily.

 

“Did you do much baking growing up?”

 

Brianna shook her head, chuckling. “No. Definitely not. I still can’t really bake or cook. I was actually just thinking about this time I tried to make a soufflé for my ex-boyfriend… well, ex-fiancé.”

 

It felt nice to share in those memories with her friend, though she omitted some sections to keep the story more appropriate for the setting.  
  
“Anyway, I never really fit in with who he turned out to be, or the crowd, or anything, I guess,” Brianna finished with a miniscule frown. “It’s a little hard being here, because it reminds me so much of that time in my life.”

 

Hana reached over and squeezed Brianna’s hand comfortingly. “You’re better at it than you give yourself credit for. And you’re the strongest person I know.”

 

“Thank you,” Brianna said quietly, giving Hana a genuine smile. “You’re a pretty cool person, you know that, right?”

 

Hana returned the smile shakily, as if she didn’t really believe Brianna’s words, but she was saved from responding by the oven dinging.

  
“That’s the oven timer!” Brianna said.

 

“Looks like the pie’s done,” Hana agreed, moving to the oven.  
  
“Hana?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Thanks.”

 

Hana smiled at Brianna. “You’re welcome. Now get the pie! I don’t trust myself to carry it.”

 

Brianna chuckled, slipping on the oven mitts. She gingerly removed the pie and set it on the counter, staring at it in amazement.

  
“Give that here…” Olivia scowled, ready with her own oven mitts. She walked up to the queen to present it, and Madeleine followed just seconds later. Queen Regina nodded sternly.

  
“Thank you both. We’ll begin the judging with Madeleine’s pie.” Queen Regina examined the pie thoroughly, allowing a small nod. “This is very well done. Good work, Madeleine.”

 

“Thank you, ma’am,” the petite blonde replied smoothly.

 

The queen cut out a small piece and bit into it, her eyes warming at the taste. “Oh.” She chewed delicately and mused for a moment. “That is delightfully scrumptious. A perfect blend of sugar and spices.”

 

Olivia looked to Brianna, a nasty frown on her face. The queen shifted her attention to their pie, considering it for a moment. “Hmmm… the design is amazing. Who did this?”

 

“I did, Your Majesty,” Hana replied smoothly, but not in a way that seemed overtly proud.

  
“You’re exceptionally talented, Lady Hana.”

 

“Thank you, ma’am, but I had help from Lady Brianna.”

 

Brianna looked at Hana quickly, who only smiled in response. Saying that Hana had help from Brianna was a gross over exaggeration of what Brianna actually contributed, but Brianna didn’t think it was appropriate to correct Hana.  
  
“Then let me extend my compliments to both of you,” Queen Regina smiled. “And the crust is in splendid condition.” She cut into the pie and sampled a small bite, nodding to herself. “The perfect amount of apples with exquisite flavouring.”

 

“Thank you, ma’am,” Brianna replied.

 

The queen dabbed her mouth gently with a napkin, looking between both pies. “After weighing the strengths and weaknesses of each side… I declare Olivia’s team the winner!”  
  
Their team burst out into a quiet celebration, and Brianna grabbed Hana’s hand and gave it a squeeze.  
  
“This is one of the best apple pies I’ve had in a long time. Very well done, ladies…”

 

“You honour us all, ma’am!” Brianna enthused, catching Olivia’s eye. They considered each other carefully, and then Olivia looked away.

 

“Now, ladies, if you’ll proceed across the grounds for our next event…” the queen gestured across the lawn and all the ladies began to make their way over as cleaning staff materialized and began cleaning.  Brianna saw the queen move over to her, so she stayed while Hana followed the other ladies.

  
“Lady Brianna, may I have a word?”

  
“Of course, ma’am.”

 

The queen led her away from the other ladies and walked slowly through the apple orchard. Brianna was careful to fall just behind the queen’s steps.

  
“First, I’d like to compliment you on your historically accurate costume… it’s nice to see you embracing the traditions.”

 

“Thank you,” Brianna replied sincerely. She remembered that the queen was leery of those not from Cordonia, and she suspected Bertrand’s idea had won her a few points. “I suspect this isn’t what you took me on this walk to talk about though, is it?”

 

“Ah, you’re direct, but not incorrect. I want us to get to know one another better. I’ve been impressed with how you’ve comported yourself so far. You’ve demonstrated grace and composure unlike most.”

 

“Thank you, ma’am.”

 

“But a queen, no matter how graceful and composed, cannot be everywhere at once. You’ll need to appoint advisors and ambassadors to act in your stead.”

  
“Effective delegation is effective leadership,” Brianna said slickly, watching as the queen allowed another smile.

  
“Precisely. That is why I’d like to hear your opinion on some of those around you.”

 

“Of course.”

 

“Madeleine is one of your strongest competitors. What’s your opinion of her?”

 

Brianna considered the question carefully. Queen Regina was intelligent, and it made sense for her to ask something like this of a lady competing for the royal title.  
  
“She’s a valuable asset. She has the pedigree and the skills to thrive at court, and she uses that to her advantage. She could be a valuable ally, or a difficult enemy. I would do everything in my power to ensure she is the former.”

 

“Interesting assessment,” the queen murmured, almost to herself. “Hana has been a competitor since the beginning, and you two seem closer than the others. What do you see in her?”

  
“Hana is extraordinarily talented,” Brianna began, smiling to herself. “She’s basically a court prodigy, and she’s helped me find my footing where I didn’t know where to step.”

 

“She’s someone you’d want to keep in your inner circle, I assume.”

 

“Absolutely.”

  
“I’ve had a similar thought about her myself,” the queen said, and Brianna’s heart fell a little. It sounded like the queen didn’t think Hana would win the prince’s hand, but if she was honest, Hana never seemed like a strong contender. At least Hana could be involved in other aspects of the court, which would likely be more enjoyable for her anyway.  
  
“What you say about your friends can reveal more about you than about them,” Regina said, her eyes sparkling mischievously. “And Prince Liam’s commoner friend, Drake? You’re by his side quite often despite him having little to do with the competition.”

 

Brianna felt trickles of adrenaline weaving in her body, speeding her heart up and slicking her palms with sweat. She thought of the Springsteen song—she certainly felt like she was on fire.  
  
“Drake is…” she faltered a slightly, smiling weakly, “reliable, if rough around the edges. He can be moody, but he’ll come through for his friend in a pinch. Drake’s loyal, and I understand why Prince Liam trusts him. I think that Prince Liam is actually quite lucky to have a friend like Drake, one that would put himself in front of the prince in any situation. He’s incredibly witty, and sharp, and it’s impressive to see the way he handles difficult situations despite not having the same upbringing… I mean, I trust him with my life, too, it’s not just Prince Liam.”  
  
Brianna felt her cheeks flush and she was embarrassed to have rambled so much. Regina eyed her, a smile playing at her lips. “It’s good to surround yourself with people you can trust. A true queen must have a network of allies she can call upon.”

 

The queen stopped walking for a moment, turning to Brianna and assessing her seriously. There was a lightness to her face, and Brianna felt happy, like she had won the approval. “It’s clear you’ve been assessing how those around you may help you one day.”

 

“I do my best,” she laughed kindly.

 

“Forgive me for being so forward, but how do you feel about Prince Liam? It’s clear he’s very fond of you, indeed, but the pressure that comes with a relationship with him cannot be underestimated.”  
  
Brianna’s smile was tiny. “I understand, Queen Regina. The way I feel about the prince… I care for him a lot, and I’m excited to see how our relationship continues.”  
  
“You may return to the other suitors, Lady Brianna. It’s time I announce the next event.”

 

“Of course. Thank you, ma’am.” Brianna ducked into a curtsy and joined the ladies in the gathering crowd of onlookers, cursing herself. She only said one sentence about Liam but rambled about Drake. That must have looked awful.

 

The queen moved across the orchard gracefully, standing tall to address everyone. “The Apple Blossom Festival symbolizes the growth vital to keeping our small nation thriving. Now, as is tradition, we will honour one distinguished, best dressed lady as this year’s Apple Queen.” Her eyes moved across the crowd, her face serious. “This is a ceremonial position for the people to decide. Last year, it was our very own, Lady Madeleine.”

 

Madeline gave a gracious smile. “And I very much appreciated the honour.”

 

“As for this year… citizens of Cordonia, who do you wish to honour with this title?”

 

The crowd erupted into a wild mess of cries, cheers, and boos, a frenzied mix of names barely distinguishable among the noise. Brianna could hear Maxwell calling her name out, and she thought she even heard Drake, though she couldn’t see him. Eventually, there was a bit of a chant of ‘Brianna’ that seemed to overpower any dissenting names.

 

“I think we have a clear winner,” Queen Regina said, smiling. “Lady Brianna will be this year’s Apple Queen.”

 

Visions of power and excellence flashed in front of Brianna. This was her goal. The whole time she was in Cordonia and everyone was vying for Prince Liam’s affections… no, the Apple Queen was where she wanted to be.

 

“Breaking news, folks, Lady Brianna has been elected Apple Queen,” Donald, the reported, spoke into a recorder.  
  
Ana with _Trend_ tapped something into her phone. “What will this mean for the race to win Prince Liam’s hand? Our expert panel will weigh in shortly. Stay tuned.”

  
“Wooooooo! Go Brianna! Party like it’s 1299!” Maxwell shouted, pumping his fist in the air. “All hail the Apple Queen from the Big Apple!”

 

“Lady Brianna, please join me for your ‘coronation.’” Queen Regina motioned for Brianna to make her way to the front of the crowd, and she obeyed, slipping through people easily until she stood before the queen. Regina handed her an apple-shaped scepter, which Brianna gripped tightly.

  
“Lady Brianna, I pronounce you Queen of the Apples. Long live the Apple Queen!” Regina said, her voice commanding and gentle at the same time.

  
“Queen Regina, it’s an honour,” Brianna replied, her lips twitching at the ridiculousness of the whole thing. She was loving it. “Thank you all for electing me to represent you as the Apple Queen,” she spoke to the crowd, her grin wide. “I’m happy to accept this esteemed position, and I will treat it with utmost respect.”

  
Quieter, she asked the queen, “What now?”

  
“My queen, I will serve as your acting seneschal and guide you through the ceremony. Before we proceed, we must fill the Apple Court.” _Oh my god. The Apple Court?_ “These are the courtiers who will parade behind you. Who will be your cup-bearer? This person should be a close confidant you’d trust with your life.”

  
“Drake,” Brianna responded confidently, shooting him a furtive wink. He’d love the silliness of this tradition a lot less than she would, but he was the first name that popped into her mind.

  
“You know the cup-bearer tastes the drinks for poison, right?” he asked her as he stood by her side. Brianna felt a little flutter in her chest.

  
“You’ll be fine.”  
  
“I am blessed to carry out your agenda, my queen,” he said with an adorable frown, his brow creased with worry. He stood stoically to her right and the queen pulled out a goofy-looking fool’s cap.

 

“My queen, if you’ll name your court jester.”

 

The temptation to name Olivia was strong. Her eyes even met Olivia’s, and she could swear the anger rolling off that fiery redhead was tangible. “Maxwell,” she declared, and he was jumping up to meet Brianna before she had even gotten his name out.

  
“Step aside, plebeians. Three-time jester MVP, coming through!” he shouted excitedly. He took his place on the other side of Brianna, and Drake chuckled dryly.

 

“You’re not supposed to enjoy this,” Drake told Maxwell.

 

Maxwell laughed. “I’m sensing jealousy.”

  
“Forget I said anything.”

  
Maxwell plopped the jester cap on his head, grinning as the bells jingled as they fell down his face.  
  
Queen Regina looked at the group, nodding once. “My queen, with your court assembled, it is your right to issue an edict before your people.”

 

Brianna turned to the crowd, her posture confident, her voice strong. “My people… thank you for selecting me as your Apple Queen! I’m here because of you… and I will be your faithful Apple Queen, the Apple Queen of the people!” She raised her apple scepter, feeling the power of her speech as the crowd cheered.

 

A horse was summoned by Queen Regina, pulling a wagon full of apples. Brianna looked at it, her face breaking out into pure delight. _This is so wonderfully over the top_.  
  
“Oh, magnanimous Apple Queen, please show your generosity and share your bountiful harvest with us,” Regina said, and Brianna channeled her inner Oprah.

 

“Did I mention apples for everyone?” Brianna asked, looking out to the crowd with a beatific grin. “You get an apple, and you get an apple, everybody gets an apple!” She was pointing to members in the crowd before gesturing wildly to the group as a whole. Brianna turned on her heel and flounced to the wagon, climbing on it with her court. They rode past the crowd, slowly, and the men handed her apples which she tossed gently to the flood of clamoring hands. They were drawing closer to Olivia, who was sulking among the crowd.  
  
“Hit her in the face,” Drake sneered with a dry chuckle. Maxwell had to turn away he was laughing so hard. “Never mind, you’re having too much fun with this as it is, Richardson.”

 

Brianna rolled her eyes at him, but gently tossed an apple to the redhead. Olivia must not have been expecting it because she fumbled around until the apple hit her in the chest with a satisfying thud.

  
“Oh!” Olivia exclaimed.

 

“How do you like them apples?” Brianna asked her with a chortle, snorting at her own cleverness.

 

“Oh, relax Richardson,” Drake said quietly, but she could tell his exasperation was a front. Maxwell was giving her a discrete high five.

 

“Very funny,” Olivia sneered.

 

“The Apple Queen’s power is absolute!” Brianna called, the supremacy in her voice undeniable. Drake was shaking his head in disbelief, but she could see him trying to hide a grin. They made their way through the crowd and she had an unspeakable amount of fun distributing apples down the parade line. At the end, Madeleine was standing near a potted baby apple tree. Queen Regina was watching with an amused smirk, and once Brianna was helped off the wagon, the queen began to speak again.

  
“Your majesty, please honor your ancestor, last year’s Apple Queen, and plant a tree for the next generation.”

 

Brianna approached, and Madeleine gave her a polite curtsy. If only the petite blonde’s personality matched her adorable looks instead of that cunning mind and sharp tongue of hers, then Madeleine wouldn’t be nearly as annoying.

 

“My queen. Happy wishes for you,” Madeleine spoke softly, but forcefully.

 

“Thank you, Your Former Majesty,” Brianna grinned.

 

Madeleine sighed, and her face fell a little. “The labour of forebears will help you build a better world.” She dropped her voice and took a half step closer. “Not many get the pleasure of being addressed as ‘my queen.’ Savour these moments. You may never hear the phrase again.”

 

“I take nothing for granted,” Brianna replied effortlessly, squaring her shoulders as she faced Madeleine.

  
“Surprisingly level-headed. Maybe being a commoner has taught you to accept your station.”

“It taught me to appreciate the little things and not be an utter _jerk_ ,” Brianna scowled, her voice hushed but annoyed.

 

“Good. I like complacency in a future subject.” Madeleine offered a mischievous smirk and stepped back to reveal the hole dug for the sapling. “The ground is yours, my queen.”

 

Brianna stepped forward confidently, pushing her hair out of her face as she bent down and picked up the pot. It was heavy, but she was able to guide it to the hole with ease. She focused on not ruining her manicure as she scooped the dirt around the sapling. As she finished, she stepped back and wiped her hands.

  
“Everyone… the work we do today will benefit future generations. They deserve something worth inheriting.” The crowd clapped, and she felt herself glow with pride. “Legacies. A legacy is planting seeds in a garden you never get to see,” she spoke, gesturing to the apple trees behind her. The crowd cheered, and Brianna only felt _slightly_ bad about ripping off _Hamilton_.

 

“Thank you, gracious Apple Queen. As for your final honour…” Regina looked to her side where Liam was standing. He smiled down at Brianna before kneeling in front of her.

 

“You are entitled to a kiss, my queen.”

 

“Liam…” Brianna looked to the queen quickly. She wanted to be cheeky but thought it best to err on the side of caution. “I humbly accept your offer.”

 

“As my queen wishes,” he replied, moving up. Liam leaned in with an unprecedented tenderness and kissed her on the cheek, his cinnamon scent filling her nose and mixing with the crisp apples. With the tree planted and the kiss received, the crowd dispersed slowly.

 

“It’s time I head back to the Applewood Manor, but please feel free to enjoy the festival as the reigning Apple Queen. Past queens have been popular at the apple bobbing contest,” the queen said, and Brianna could see the hint of a gleam in her sharp eyes.

  
“Thank you, ma’am,” Brianna replied, offering curtsy and handing over her scepter before moving across the orchard. Maxwell broke through the crowd and waved her over to a small clearing, so she followed his motion until she made her way beside him.  
  
“There’s our glorious Apple Queen!” Maxwell cheered, slapping her hand with his as soon as she approached.

  
“Thanks for your support. I heard you cheering out there the entire time, and I couldn’t have asked for a better jester.”

 

“Well, somebody had to do it.”

 

“Did you arm wrestle Bertrand for the honours?” Brianna teased, and Maxwell howled with laughter. When he calmed down, he wiped at his eyes in case the laughter had coaxed out a few tears.

 

“But anyway, that’s not why I’m here. I _might_ be able to get you some time alone with Prince Liam today! I happen to know he’s in the manor’s conservatory right now waiting for a few nobles. I could distract them long enough with offers to donate to their favourite causes…” Maxwell raised his eyebrows dramatically. “This could be your chance for a romantic moment alone with him!”

 

“That’d be amazing!”

 

“The conservatory is on the other side of the estate grounds. I’ll take care of the rest.”

 

“Thanks, Maxwell, you’re the best.”

“Heh. Well, someone needs to think I’m the best to make up for Bertrand thinking I’m the worst.”

 

* * *

 

 

As she stepped into the conservatory, the bountiful green foliage spilling out everywhere, Brianna let her face relax into an easy smile as Liam turned to see her. His excitement was profound, evident in the way his eyes crinkled in greeting, his cheeks slightly chubby as his grin pushed them up.

 

“Lady Brianna… what an unexpected surprise. And are you wearing an authentic peasant costume? I saw it earlier, but of course in the excitement of the event, I couldn’t fully appreciate your efforts.”

 

“Well, Bertrand says it’s historically accurate,” she replied, holding the edges of the skirt out. “He could be lying and I wouldn’t know, to be honest.”

 

“Well, you look fantastic.”

 

“Thank you. Liar,” she teased, bumping his hip with hers gently. “I hope I’m not disrupting your schedule too much…”

 

“I am supposed to meet with some of my mother’s friends to discuss the flowers… but I’m _very_ excited to see you instead.”

 

“Maxwell said he’d take care of distracting your other appointment,” Brianna informed him, a diminutive smirk on her lips.

 

“Then he’s a very good friend indeed.”

 

“You’ve been even busier than usual lately.”

 

Liam sighed, and she was only now noticing the bags under his eyes. “Yes…” he agreed, downtrodden. “Since my father announced his abdication at the regatta, I’ve been suddenly overrun by nobles wanting to… well, congratulate isn’t quite the right word, but they want to spend a few moments with the soon-to-be-king.”

 

“Ah.” Brianna frowned thoughtfully. “Can’t say I blame ‘em.”

 

He chuckled. “You’re always so light hearted. I admire that.” He reached out and held on of her hands, giving it a gentle squeeze. “My coronation seemed like a distant future event, but now it’s actually happening. In a couple of weeks, I’ll be King Liam of Cordonia. I thought I’d have more time…”

 

“Liam, you’re ready. You’ve been training for this for so long. If anybody is ready for this, it’s you.”

 

“You say it so certainly, you make me believe you.”

 

“You should! I’m usually always right,” she teased.

 

“It’s just strange to think that so may people will be counting on me… depending on me.”

 

“I don’t think they could ask to be in better hands,” Brianna assured him, running her thumb over the back of his hand softly. “You may not be able to see yourself clearly, but I do. You’re kind, compassionate, and responsible to a fault. But most of all, you’re always thinking of others. As a king, I’ll know you’ll be thinking of everyone in your care.”

 

Liam nodded slowly. “Those in power have a responsibility to use their power for those who have none.”

 

“I love how you say that like it’s common sense… but there are a lot of people who don’t think like you do,” she pointed out. “And that’s why it’s so important that you’re going to be the king.”

 

“You see me so clearly… but what about yourself?” he asked, his eyes focusing on her. “I know there’s so much still undecided, but let’s say you _were_ my selection. You’re such a free spirit, Brianna. And I love that about you.” Liam smiled, and she mirrored it easily before his face fell slightly.

 

“But there are expectations that come with being queen. Royal events, life at the palace… _children_. Do you see your place at my side?”

 

Brianna bit her lip, letting her teeth prick the sensitive skin for a moment. “It would be an adjustment,” she conceded. “I mean, even today. It’s exhausting of thinking of doing this all the time, always in the eye of the press, always waiting to make a mistake. I’m trying though, and I think I’m doing well.”

 

“More than.”  
  
“Thank you. I also know that relationships are all about compromise. I can’t say that life as the queen would come naturally for me, but I would try,” she said honestly. Brianna was relieved to see he was nodded ever so gently. Truthfully, today had been a lot of fun, but it was just so trivial and silly. Brianna didn’t know how she’d deal with a lifetime of events like this.

 

“I respect you being so honest and thinking about it carefully. I know it’s a lot to ask, but it means a lot to me that you’d consider it.” Liam smiled affectionally. “Meeting you in New York was one of the best things that’s ever happened to me. You changed my life.”

 

Brianna nodded, chuckling a little breathlessly. “I’ve gone from waiting tables to waltzing with a prince. My life has changed too, thanks to you.”

 

“For better, I hope.”

 

“Incomparably.”

 

“Brianna, whatever happens, know that I’m grateful for the time we’ve spent together.” Liam hesitated before a picking a light pink rose from the bush behind them. He offered it to her kindly, his eyes sparkling. “Have you ever seen a Juliet Rose? Also known as the Five Million Dollar Flower.”

 

“Five million dollars? You sure know how to spoil a girl,” she said sarcastically, cradling the flower tenderly.

 

“They _are_ expensive, but not quite that expensive. It’s rumoured that the man who created this specific peach coloured rose spent fifteen years and five million dollars to do so.”

 

“That’s… a beautiful story,” she finished lamely. It wasn’t, not really. It was a lot of trouble for a flower if it was true, but she supposed for a story, it was nice. “There is something really sweet about dedicating all of that just to bring one person happiness.”

 

“Truly it must’ve been a labour of love.”

 

“Thank you for showing it to me,” she said, letting her fingers trace the petal delicately.

 

“It was my pleasure. I hope you’ve enjoyed the festival.”  
  
“You know I loved it,” she laughed, miming the apple scepter with her rose. “The Apple Queen is something I didn’t know I needed until I had the title. Plus, I’ve never seen so many apples in my life.”

 

“The festival is one of Cordonia’s many little charms.” Liam’s gaze lingered on her face, and he smiled sadly. “Well, I don’t know how much longer Maxwell can stall the nobles. He can’t entertain _all_ of my appointments.”

 

“He could try.”

 

Liam chuckled, but she moved close to him quickly, her hands encircling his neck, pulling him close. He obliged, and she met his lips carefully, tenderly. He let out a tiny moan, and she coaxed his mouth open, gently dancing her tongue across his before he moved his mouth to her neck. Liam’s hands trailed down her arms to her waist as he kissed up her neck, whispering in her ear.

  
“Brianna, we’d better stop, or I’ll never leave you.”

 

“Is that so bad?”

 

Liam found her lips one last time, pulling her into a long, lingering kiss, before pulling away. Her rubbed her cheek softly with his thumb.

  
“Until next time,” he said, his voice noticeably huskier than it had been earlier. Brianna nodded, heaving a pouty sight before walking out the door. She paused as the door closed behind her, and she peered back, surprised to see Liam holding her gaze through the glass.

 

* * *

 

Brianna made her way back to the festival, stopping to watch some of the children bob for apples. After half an hour, she needed a break from cheering the kids on and found a pair of old wooden swings tied to a tree. She sat on it and began to pump herself higher slowly. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw someone approach, and she could feel her body respond before she could even see who it was.

 

“Hi Drake.”

 

“Richardson,” he greeted simply, holding out a cup of cider for her.

  
“Oh, thanks!” Brianna said happily, stopping her swing so she could grab the cup. She blew across the top, sipping gingerly. “Thanks for being my cup-bearer. I know that probably wasn’t your ideal form of fun.”

 

“It’s fine. Thanks for trusting me with your life.”

 

Brianna narrowed her gaze at him, and his lips twitched, threatening to give him away.

 

“Thanks for the music, too,” she said quietly, and he nodded.

 

“Don’t mention it.”

 

“I… well, I wanted—”

 

“No, don’t mention it, Richardson,” he said a little sharply, and she bit her lip, nodding. Not now, she got it, but it stung.

  
“The festival is fun, but you guys are way too obsessed with apples. Like, would it have killed anyone to have a few more non-apple related events?”

 

Drake shrugged. “They’ll celebrate anything. Get used to it.”

 

“How do you do it?” she asked him quietly, and he gave a dour chuckle. Brianna turned to him. “I’m serious. Today was fun… I mean, this whole social season has been fun in its own way. But day after day, always prancing off to the next event…”

 

It was hard. She was making the best of a situation, but once she handed the apple scepter over she was struck by the silliness of the whole thing. That coupled with her conversation with Liam… a few minutes of silence passed, and Brianna realized a tear was moving down her cheek. She wiped it carefully, casting a sideways look to Drake. He was watching her, and he offered a sad smile.

  
“The moments in between,” he replied simply, and she smiled in spite of herself. Of course. Such a Drake thing to say.

 

“Yeah.” Her voice was thick, and she could hear him sigh as he moved to sit beside her.

  
They didn’t talk, but Brianna started swinging by herself while Drake sipped at his cider. Something about his company was calming, but after about five minutes, Brianna knew she should head back to the manor.

 

“Well, thanks for the cider.”

 

“Yeah, yeah,” Drake scoffed playfully. He stood up and offered her a hand off the swing. She took it, and when they were standing, he bent down, his fingers reaching to brush away a piece of her hair. He froze before touching her face, and his eyes flicked to hers. Brianna wanted to move, but she couldn’t, so she just watched him take a step back and break his gaze.

  
“Enjoy the festival, Drake.”

 

“Yeah, you too.”

 

* * *

 

 

Walking back from the festival, her mind conflicted over what to do about her future here, she spotted Maxwell waiting by the front door of the manor.

  
“I hope everything went well with Liam,” he said in a way of greeting her, “but we’re switching gears for the next event. Now that the Apple Blossom Festival is over, we’re clearing the ground for the ‘fox hunt’ next week!” Maxwell held up his fingers and put air quotes around the ‘fox hunt’, but she still opened her mouth in surprise, her brow furrowed.

 

“We’re hunting foxes?! There’s no way I’m going to—”

 

“Relax,” Maxwell laughed. “Not a fox hunt, a ‘fox hunt.’ Didn’t you see my air quotes the first time? It’s more like a race that takes place on the royal hunting grounds. Which means horseback riding through the woods!”

 

Alright, another event where she had to put her best foot forward, sneak time with Liam, pretend the social season was the time of her life, and look impeccable… totally, possible, right? Even plausible?

 

Yay or neigh?

 

* * *

* * *

 


	13. Chapter Thirteen: It’s a Heart-to-Heart on Horses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang rides horses, explores a ruin, and things get incredibly confusing for Brianna as she grapples with her developing feelings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay on this one! I should have let you know last week that this one would be posted on Monday instead of Sunday.
> 
> Hope you enjoy! :)

 

* * *

* * *

 

The next day, there was a little post-it under her door again. This time, in that hurried scrawl, he wrote:

 

_R,_

_Romeo and Juliet – Dire Straits_

She went on the iPod and noticed Drake had added the song to the account. It was another one she recognized, but she listened to it in a new light as she jogged around the property. As the music picked up and the singer crooned about ill fated lovers, she felt her heart stutter. No, this wasn’t what she wanted to hear. She picked up speed. Faster. She didn’t want to think about this. It wasn’t fair. Her heart was hammering in her chest.  


This was unbelievable. She was sweating, and her jog had broken into a full run. The sun seemed to laser in on her. She was hot and prickling.

 

Lovers who got the timing wrong.

 

Brianna was pumping her legs furiously, her lungs were on fire, and her mind ached. The time was wrong? Could there have been a right time? She was worried that there might have been the possibility that she had misunderstood everything. Brianna had thought, that drunken night in the wine cellar, that Drake didn’t want her. Was it possible that Drake just… _couldn’t_ want her?   
  
She weakened, letting herself collapse on the grass, breathing hard. She couldn’t outrun the thoughts in her mind, racing over. There was a literal meaning in the song, but she didn’t see it like that. More like Drake couldn’t express what he wanted to say, or any form of it, so he was trying through songs… but, still, he was sending mixed messages and it was confusing as hell.

 

It shouldn’t have even mattered. Brianna knew she had feelings for the prince, too, and this was impossibly unfair of her, but… it was _different_. She sat up on the grass, feeling the sweat on her skin cool with the breeze. Brianna resolved to talk to Drake now, to settle this. No more song suggestions, hiding meanings like winks across a room. She made her way back to her hall, hesitating before knocking on Drake’s door to no answer.  
  
Figures that she’d be left alone to fret over this and overanalyze.

* * *

 

  
Brianna spent much of the next week doing annoying little errands, trying to put the whole song suggestions situation out of her mind. Even though her life in Cordonia was fabulous, it was all borrowed time. In New York she still had bills to pay and things to check on, so she stayed out of the way for most of the week and kept her head down while she sorted some of her personal affairs out. As per usual, the royal family made themselves scarce and she only saw Drake in the hallway once. She had tried to track him down, but he mysteriously disappeared after she saw him. Even Hana was moving around during the week and they had only managed to have lunch once, in the garden with a pitcher of fresh iced tea.

 

The night before she left for the fox hunt, she was soaking in a clawfoot bath tub chatting on the phone with her old co-worker, Daniel, who was squatting in her apartment for the time being. On one hand, it was nice to hear about what had been happening since she left New York, but she had already felt that the girl who left her waitressing job was long gone. It was a little funny to her that she tried to hard to escape her past in New York, wandering down streets with the ghost of Hunter in her ear, always forcing her to turn away, but coming to Cordonia was helping her face her insecurities head on. Well, she hoped it was helping at least.

 

She slept fitfully that night, her mind unable to relax. It felt like her brain was trying to reconcile the two versions of her that it knew, but while adding the complications of the social season to the mix. No wonder she couldn’t sleep.

  

* * *

 

 

Although it only felt like she had been asleep for minutes, someone was already knocking at her door. Brianna staggered to the door, aiming to stop the noise, flinging it open to find Maxwell, his face bright and excited.

  
“Rise and shine!” he greeted.

  
Bertrand poked his head out from behind his brother, startling her. His arms were folded tightly and his nose was twitching in a menacing sneer. “Wake up. No one’s getting any younger here.”

 

“Isn’t it a little early for this?” she asked, rubbing her eyes dramatically.

 

“Today’s events start early!” Maxwell chirped.

 

“Obviously,” Bertrand drawled. “Do you think we enjoy standing outside your door in the early hours like some sort of postal delivery service?””

 

Brianna and Maxwell exchanged a look of amusement.

  
“That’s not what they…” Maxwell pursed his lips, then shook his head. “Never mind! Today’s going to be awesome! Bree, you’re going to commune with nature along Cordonia’s majestic countryside.”

 

Brianna looked outside, bouncing up on her tiptoes. She had always loved treasured excursions to be with nature growing up, though they were few and far between… that wasn’t to say she excelled at outdoorsy stuff, but she’d be damned if she didn’t try.

 

“Let’s get to it! Sunshine is exactly what I need,” Brianna agreed.

 

“Like a plant,” Maxwell replied.

 

“…Right, yes.” Brianna looked at him questioningly, but Maxwell was oblivious to his quirky comment. “Alright, so where are we headed?”

 

“We’ll be following one of the historic hunting trails the old nobility would use. It’s ancient. Even before there was a Cordonia, nobles would hunt their quarry along these trails,” Bertrand said smoothly, as if he’d recited the speech a million times.

 

“Wait, we’re not _actually_ hunting right? I thought Maxwell said—”

 

“Hunting is forbidden these days,” Bertrand cut off her off quickly. “Besides, the dangerous wildlife has migrated elsewhere in the years since the great royal hunts of centuries past. Instead, you’ll be riding on horseback through some of the most gorgeous countryside in Cordonia.”

 

“Come on, let’s go!” Maxwell urged. She got the impression that if Bertrand hadn’t been standing there, Maxwell would have literally grabbed her hand and pulled her away.

 

“Okay, okay. Give me a second to get out of my jammies,” she said, ushering them out of her room despite Bertrand’s annoyed scoffing. She slipped on a tried and true pair of jeans and paired with her sweater from the regatta. Bertrand didn’t seem impressed with her outfit, but she figured they’d be stopping by the boutique anyway. As they made their way down the hallway, Brianna heard a familiar voice.

  
“Hey Brianna!” Hana called, and Brianna turned to pull her friend into a quick hug.

  
“Hi, Hana! Is that a new outfit? You look great. So fancy!” Brianna commented, tugging at Hana’s riding uniform gently.

 

“Oh, this?” Hana asked sweetly, brushing a piece of non-existent dirt off the sleeve. “It’s my riding uniform. It’s going to have plenty of scuffs and dirt marks by the end of today. What are you wearing for the ride?”

 

“I didn’t bring a fancy riding uniform with me… I was hoping to hit up the boutique right now, actually,” Brianna admitted.

 

“Of course. I’ve reserved one or two outfits for you,” Bertrand replied smoothly. “We need to get you down there immediately.”

 

“I’ll come too!” Hana chirped, leading the way to the boutique. As soon as they entered, Brianna and Hana exchanged a look. Olivia was fastening buttons on her blazer in front of the mirror, and Brianna hated to admit she looked sleek and classic.

 

“Voila!” Olivia breathed excitedly. “Perfection, if I do say so myself.”

 

“You look lovely, Olivia,” Hana said, and Brianna nodded an agreement.

 

“Of course I do.”

“Olivia, let’s coordinate outfits!” Brianna squealed, jumping up and clapping sarcastically. She found a blazer that looked eerily similar to Olivia’s and held it up. “We’d look so cute together.”

 

Hana’s eyes lit up. “Oooh! Like a trio.”

 

“You two will look nothing like me,” Olivia sneered, turning to the mirror. She ran her hands over her hips admiringly. “This outfit compliments my dignity and grace, which neither of you have. So, no matter how you wear it, you’ll never look as good as me.”

 

“We’ll see about that,” Brianna said with a chuckle. Olivia glared at her, and Brianna shrugged gently, flouncing past her to the garment bag that she spotted as reserved for her. She thought the white, flouncy shirt was a little stuffy, but the plum blazer that the designer paired it with was perfection. Her pants were tight, hugging every curve, in a gorgeous chocolate brown, tucked into her boots. _The boots_. The riding boots that hit above her knee were to die for, a beautiful polished black.

 

When she stepped out, she was surprised to see Olivia there, looking gobsmacked.

  
“Spiffy, don’t you think?” Brianna asked brightly, turning to the mirror and pulling her hair back into a long, curly ponytail. It showed off her bright face and bone structure, though it was a little casual for the outfit.

 

Hana smiled. “It’s like you stepped out of a Victorian painting.”

 

“Please… Victorians haven’t been in style for centuries,” Olivia snapped back, but it was clear to see that she was rattled.

 

“Let’s go riding!” Brianna said, grabbing Hana’s hand and flounced out of the room, leaving Olivia standing alone.

 

* * *

 

Bertrand and Maxwell were waiting for the girls, and as soon as they left the manor, they were pulled away to the end of the walkway.

  
“Whoa!” Brianna said as Bertrand pulled her along quickly.

 

“There you are,” he exclaimed, while Maxwell shot her a thumbs up.

  
“You found an outfit!” Maxwell said excitedly.

 

“What do you think?” Brianna asked, doing a little spin.

 

“Acceptable,” Bertrand nodded.

 

“You did a good job picking it out,” Brianna told him, “so thank you.”

 

“You _do_ look great, Bree,” Maxwell agreed.

 

Bertrand made an annoyed noise. “Yes, yes. Now if your ego is sufficiently tended to, we’ve another more pressing matter. Time is of the essence.”

 

“Isn’t it always with you?” Maxwell laughed, nudging Bertrand in the side playfully.

  
“I noticed,” Bertrand began loudly, shooting a reprimanding look to his brother, “Prince Liam was preparing his ride when I went to inspect the mounts just now…”

 

“I take it that means you want me to go find him?” Brianna said with a smile.

 

“Exactly. You should’ve been by his side ten minutes ago. Maxwell, take her to the stables.”

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

* * *

 

 

Maxwell rushed her over to the stables, and when they arrived, he bgean peering through the window to survey the stalls.

 

“Coast is clear,” he said. Maxwell turned to her and winked. “Prince Liam is alone. I’ll stall anyone who tries to enter, you get in there and impress our prince!”

 

“As if I could do anything else,” she said, whipping her ponytail to the side with a chuckle. She moved easily into the stables, taking in a breath of the sweet hay mingling with the earth. It reminded her of the time Drake saved her from being trampled at the Derby. As she moved through the stables, a few horses whinnied.

 

Liam ran his hand soothingly over the snout of a black horse, shushing the horse kindly.  
  
“Good girl,” he murmured. “Want another apple?”

 

“Preparing for the ride today?” she asked him, feeling her heart ache gently for him. He was just so perfect.

 

“Lady Brianna…” his voice was surprised, but as he caught her eye, she could see a sort of resigned appreciation in them. “You have a habit of finding me when I’m alone.”

  
“Hah… what strange coincidences,” she teased.

 

“Hmm… coincidences? Or plans in disguise?”

 

“Let’s not overthink things.”

 

“I couldn’t, even if I wanted to. My mind goes blank every time I see you,” Liam admitted. He closed their distance and pulled her into a tight embrace. She let herself melt into it, tilting her head to his chest. Brianna could hear his heart thumping and lost herself in the moment.

  
“I hope you’re looking forward to the royal hunt today,” he said finally, his voice just above a whisper.

  
“I always look forward to spending time with you.”

 

“I’ll take that as a vote of confidence,” he replied. Brianna smiled at his warm tone, she could basically hear the smile in his voice. “But I know some people don’t do well with horses, and I’ve never seen you ride before.”

 

“Horses are basically bicycles that can also bite you,” Brianna said, stepping back. Her face was twisting in worry. “And I can barely ride a bicycle.”

 

“Is that so?” Liam touched her cheek gently, rubbing his thumb over her skin.  “Well, don’t worry. Some steeds are better than others. I take it you don’t have a horse for the royal hunt yet?”

 

“Well…” she looked around, shaking her head dejectedly. “No…”

 

“Luckily for you, the crown has a number of fine steeds you can borrow for the day. Over here is Silver Star,” he gestured to a gray and white speckled horse. “And over there is Autumn’s Ember.” Brianna followed his gaze to a beautiful auburn horse, at least a foot taller than the rest.

 

“Cool. So are these the loaner horses?”

 

“Actually… there is one horse here for sale by her owner,” Liam said, and she smiled at the way his face brightened. “The derby champion, Marabelle’s Dream.”

 

He moved to stroke the black horse with the white diamond on her face that he’d been soothing earlier.  
  
“She’s for sale?”

 

“She’s retired now,” Liam explained with a little smile, “but still has a lot of life left in her. I was going to sell her, but… I’d like you to have her, Brianna.”

 

She looked to the prince, her brow furrowed. “Liam, I couldn’t accept that.”

 

“It would be my honour, Lady Brianna.” Liam smiled at her, the friendliness of his face juxtaposing the formality of his words. “The horse is free to remain here and we will care for her as we have been doing until…”

 

He broke off and smiled at her. “Until you decide that is no longer needed, if at all. Every time I think of the derby, I see you now. It seems only fitting to me that you should be her rightful owner.”

 

“Thank you, Liam. I’ll take her,” Brianna stood on her tiptoes and kissed Liam’s cheek. She understood what he was saying—if she was chosen at the coronation, the horse would stay here permanently. Who knew he had such a deep running sentimental side? He had been sweet and romantic with her before, but not quite like this.

 

“Hear that, Marabelle’s Dream? You’ll be riding for a great lady now. Keep her safe.”

 

The horse nickered in sort of agreement, and Brianna rested her hand on the horse’s hide. The way Liam spoke, asking the horse to keep her safe… it made her feel so special. She always felt sort of torn with the prince between the way it seemed he wanted her to act sometimes, at a dichotomy with the way he seemed to appreciate her the way she was.

 

“If you’d like to change her name, you’re welcome to do so,” he offered, and she nodded.  
  
“I think just Marabelle,” Brianna replied. “How’s that?” she asked the horse, rubbing her nose gently.

  
“Thank you, Liam.”

 

“You are most welcome.”  
  
There was a small commotion outside that neither of them had really noticed, but it was getting louder and harder to ignore. King Constantine moved swiftly into the stables with Maxwell trailing behind him, working hard to get the king’s attention.

  
“If you’ll hear me out, I can explain the finer points of freestyle dancing,” Maxwell rushed, his face scrunched in panic.

 

“Lord Maxwell, if you’ll please allow me to inspect my horse,” the king responded smoothly, letting the faintest note of commanding royalty tinge his words. It was masterful, the way he could control his message like that.

 

“At least let me recommend some videos,” Maxwell suggested.

  
Liam nodded respectfully to the king as he entered. “Father.”

 

“Your Majesty,” Brianna greeted, smiling politely at him.

 

“Liam and Lady Brianna, who looks absolutely sporting today,” Constantine said, allowing an approving smile to cross his face.

 

“Thank you, sir.”

 

“Ready for the ride today?” the king asked, looking to Marabelle with a fond sparkle in his eye. That look reminded Brianna so much of Liam, and she nodded with a silly grin.

 

“I am now,” she agreed.  
  
“We’ll see you shortly, then.”

 

Brianna curtseyed as the king left the stables. Liam kissed her hand before following his father out. She grabbed the reins to her horse, gently leading Marabelle out of the stables and Maxwell fell into step beside her.

 

“I could only hold the king off for so long,” Maxwell apologized.  
  
“You did great,” she reassured him with a pat on her back using her free hand.

  
“Yay! I helped out after all,” he sang out, pumping his fist.

 

“Come on,” she laughed, “let’s meet up with the others.”

 

* * *

 

Maxwell explained, in great detail, his adventures in deterring various people from entering the stables. She had to chuckle at his vivid retelling of the situation where he tried to hold back the king as they joined everyone in front of the manor, and Marabelle shook her neck with a little snort as if humoured as well. Madeleine was in the middle of a story, and she barely glanced at the new arrivals.

  
“And then he demanded a one percent surcharge on all exports from my country,” Madeleine said with frustration before breaking out into a grin. “As if he was negotiating from a position of strength.”

 

“Merchants can be so fussy sometimes,” Regina agreed with little smirk.

 

Olivia’s hand was on her hip, jutted out with attitude. “How are you always the last to arrive, Brianna?”

 

“But look at her horse. She’s so pretty,” Hana cooed, raising her hand to stroke Marabelle’s mane.

 

“The most beautiful horse. Isn’t the right, Marabelle?” Brianna agreed, flashing a smile to Hana as a quiet thanks.

 

Olivia’s eyes moved from the horse to Brianna slowly. “Is that the horse that won the derby? How did you get a hold of that beauty?”

 

“It’s not polite to ask,” Brianna reprimanded Olivia’s etiquette gently with an arched brow.

 

“Hmph.” Olivia’s body language radiated anger, but she turned away quickly.

 

Brianna exchanged a little look with Hana and Maxwell as the chatter died down. King Constantine and Prince Liam arrived in front of the manner on horseback, flanked by workers leading horses out to all the guests. Brianna had to admit there was something about seeing Liam, dressed so carefully, riding a horse that was undeniably sexy. She was ogling him openly before a worked tapped her on the shoulder and handed out a pair of reins.

 

“That’s quite alright,” Brianna waved off a kind woman who held out reins to her, “I already have a ride for today.” She looked to Liam, not too far off, and shot him a quick wink, not that he would have heard her.

 

With a gracious smile, the king looked out on the crowd. “Please join me on this special day when we honour the rich history of those who came before us.”

 

As if on cue, everyone began mounting their horses. Brianna blushed slightly as she realized that the king’s words likely _were_ the cue she missed. With Maxwell’s help, she made it onto her horse, her legs trembling a little. She was a lot higher up than she expected to be, and she could feel her back stiffen and her muscles tighten.  
  
“Let us ride!” the king called out, his horse moving regally ahead of the crowd, leading the group.

 

* * *

 

The ride was treacherous. Brianna felt her muscles aching as they cleared the forest, clenched from being on Marabelle so long. She could barely relax into the saddle, and as they began the mountain trail, she only tensed more. The scenery was beautiful, but she barely even noticed. A little sigh pushed through her lips as she readjusted herself, looking backward. Bertrand and Maxwell were trailing behind, looking deep in discussion. At the head of the trail, she could see Constantine, Liam, and Regina laughing at some story, with Madeleine’s perky blonde bob just inches away. Their distance had closed on the trail, and she could hear little snippets of their conversations.  
  
“And that’s how I rescued Liam from the visiting delegation’s border collie!” Constantine’s booming voice carried only the end of his story, and Brianna frowned as she readjusted herself in the saddle.

 

“You enjoy that story far too much,” Liam said.

 

“I wanted to commission a painting of the dog nipping at your heels, but your mother thought it would be too humiliating.”

 

Madeleine’s tinkling laughter seemed to echo through the mountains. “It’s a sweet story. Tell me more about the prince when he was younger.”

 

Their voices quieted and Brianna rolled her eyes in frustration. This was the first social season event that truly sucked, and she could see Olivia’s horse slowing down to fall in line with her. Perfect.

 

“I can’t believe Madeleine,” Oliva whispered harshly. “She’s playing dirty, using her friendship with the queen to spend time with Prince Liam. I want to wipe that smug look off her face.”

 

“Olivia, you’re two of a kind. You’ve used your childhood relationship with Liam to do the same thing,” Brianna reminded her, her tone gentle.

 

“How _dare_ you? I am nothing like her!”

 

“You’re both calculating and ambitious, and you’re both playing to win, using whatever advantage you can,” she explained to Olivia, shooting her a little half smile.

 

“But I…” Olivia shook her head angrily. “But she… oh, never mind!” She gave a little huff and rode up closer to Kiara. Brianna shook her head slowly, catching Hana’s eye. It was unfair, what Madeleine was doing, but it was exactly what was expected. Olivia would do the same thing if she could.

 

“Howdy! You look a little lost there, partner,” Hana greeted her friend after Brianna picked up the pace on Marabelle a little.

 

“You give a girl a horse and suddenly she thinks she’s a cowboy.”

 

“Well, I know how to ride like one,” Hana teased.

 

“Oh, of course you do.”

 

“I also know the English, Mongolian, and Arabian styles of riding. Nothing says aristocrat quite like horse-riding skills.”

 

Brianna laughed, her ponytail swinging with the movement. “Now you’re just showing off.”

 

“My family made me learn them so I’d be able to impress the different courts around the world.”

 

“Hana, do you have any happy memories of your family?” Brianna asked quietly, watching Hana’s pretty face falter at the question. She swallowed thickly, regretting asking it, but Hana spoke after a minute of thinking.

  
“Once, during a dressage competition, I was thrown off my horse. I landed badly and broke my arm,” she explained with a little sigh. “My parents immediately rushed me to the hospital and stayed by my bed while I recovered. I was certain they were going to lecture me about losing the competition, but instead, they got me ice cream and told me how relieved they were that I was okay.”

 

Brianna personally felt that their actions were sort of the minimum required from parents, but she smiled anyway. “That was sweet of them.”

 

“It was really nice,” Hana agreed. She was smiling fully, her perfect white teeth sparkling in the sun. “I didn’t even mind the broken arm.”

 

“So… you did something called dressage?”

 

Hana nodded. “It’s actually an old aristocratic tradition meant to strengthen and train horses for war.”

 

“Wow.”  
  
“Now the moves are judged as part of a dancing routine.”

 

“So it’s a sport…” Brianna began, and Hana nodded, “with prancing ponies…”

  
“Exactly!” Hana laughed. “Here, I can teach you a little move.”

 

“This isn’t going to be too complicated, is it? My ass aches and I can barely sit straight as it is,” she complained gently.

 

“I’d hardly say that, Brianna. You’ve loosened up a lot,” Hana pointed out, and Brianna realized she was right. “Honestly, the other horses probably wouldn’t be able to keep up. But this is nothing your horse can’t handle. After all, she’s a champion!”

 

Hana adjusted her grip on the reins and steered her horse into a tight cloverleaf formation. It was impressive, and her horse moved with grace, amplifying the regal energy that Hana exuded as she guided the animal.

 

“Ten points!” Brianna cheered quietly.

 

“Thank you, thank you,” Hana said, doing a little bow in her saddle. “It’s a simple move. You should give it a try.”

 

“Right… there are at least ten ways in which this can go wrong,” she said with a laugh, “but I can do this! Clovers are a symbol of luck, after all.” Brianna’s competitive spirit sent a little adrenaline to her limbs, and she smiled at Hana excitedly.

 

“I’ll be here if anything goes wrong,” Hana advised, tapping Marabelle’s hindquarters. The horse moved forward obediently, and Hana gave her an encouraging smile. “You can do it, Brianna!”

 

Brianna nodded, steering Marabelle around in a slightly lopsided cloverleaf formation, sort of like a wonky duplication of Hana’s earlier move.  
  
“Nailed it like a champ!” Brianna said, patting her horse’s neck and leaning forward to whisper, “well, mostly. Right Marabelle?”

 

“I’d give you a gold medal,” Hana agreed, and the phrase rang in Brianna’s memory.

 

“You’re just saying that to make me feel good.”

  
“We all deserve to feel good every now and then.”

 

Brianna nodded, her mind drifting away. It was eerie, the things she was saying. It brought her back to a time where she felt like she owned the world and everyone would have to follow her lead…

 

 

* * *

* * *

 

 

_Brianna’s smile was a wide, goofy thing as she crossed the stage, the applause boosting her spirits. It wasn’t all for her, of course, but she could hear Hunter calling her name excitedly, louder than her friends. Although her parents were no longer alive, she didn’t feel alone like she thought she would today. She accepted her degree, her huge smile immortalized forever in a snapshot._

_After the graduation ceremony, she met up with Hunter on the lawn outside for a few photos in her cap and gown. “How does it feel?” Hunter asked her, nibbling playfully on her ear as his breath tickled her. Brianna laughed as a camera snapped, and she looked to him with exuberance._

_  
“I can’t believe it. Last year it was you graduating, now it’s me. If you’d have told me I would actually be graduating from NYU with my degree in communications, beside my handsome, successful boyfriend, I’d have rolled my eyes,” she told him, her breathy laughter carrying away in the noise of the crowd._

_  
“I’m proud of you, babe. I’d give you a gold medal if I could,” Hunter purred, holding her close as he called a friend over to take a photo. “Hopefully this will do.”_

_Brianna watched him in confusion, her features rearranging into delighted surprise as his actions clicked. He was speaking, adoring praise, but she couldn’t hear it as he sank down on one knee and opened a box, the engagement ring nestled inside catching and reflecting the sun._

_“Brianna, will you marry me?”_

_  
“Yes,” she said, nodding with tears in her eyes as everyone nearby broke out into raucous applause. She flung her arms around him, kissing him wildly before holding her hand out and admiring the impressive diamond._

_The day melted into night where they joined their friends for a casual celebratory dinner at a pub._  
  
“Soon we won’t be in dives like this,” Hunter told her, playing with the ring on her finger as they shared an appetizer with the table. “I’m going to work my ass off every day to make us the top of social scene in New York. We’ll remember these days and smile.”

_  
Brianna looked into his dark eyes, feeling her heart pound. “Oh, Hunter.”_

_That night, after he worshiped every inch of her body, she rested in his arms, looking around her dingy little apartment. “I’m just so happy right now,” she whispered into the quiet, not sure if Hunter was even still awake._

  
“Everyone deserves to feel good every now and again. Just be ready to work your ass off starting tomorrow,” he mumbled into his pillow, and she felt a weight rest on her body as she tried to drift off to sleep, watching the moonlight reflect in her diamond.  
  
It was the last perfect day with him, the last day of how it should have been all along.

* * *

* * *

 

 

Marabelle picked up a little speed and her muscles groaned in protest, bringing her back to reality. Up ahead, Kiara and Penelope were motioning for Hana to join them.

 

“This is new,” she muttered, looking to Hana for an explanation.

 

“Since the three of us have fallen out of the running, we’ve become a little friendlier with each other.”

“You’re making more friends!” Brianna said, her voice excited as she smiled at her friend. It had been such a joy to watch Hana blossom and find her own footing as the weeks of the social season passed by.

  
“My parents would think of them as political alliances… but in either case, I should pay them a visit. Until next time, Brianna.” Hana spurred her horse gently to join the girls, and Brianna gave her a tiny wave. She rode by herself for a few minutes until she heard her name being called from behind her.

 

“Richardson!”

 

Brianna turned behind her, as if she even needed to confirm that it was Drake. He was waving her over, so she tugged on her reins gently, slowing Marabelle down. Bertrand and Maxwell trotted past until she and Drake were left at the rear of the line, side by side.

 

“There you are,” he said when they were alone, that damned crooked smile on his face. If Prince Liam had been undeniably sexy atop his horse, there was something else to be said about Drake’s casual look, his powerful legs straddling the horse. “You look… uh… very dignified today.”

 

“Oh my gosh, opening with a real smile and a compliment?” she feigned complete shock, raising a hand to her chest.

 

“Careful, don’t want you falling off your horse now.”

 

Brianna wanted to ask him about the songs, but she also didn’t want to bring that heavy subject up. Not yet.

  
“I’m surprised you’re out here with all the nobles today,” she said, gesturing across the sweeping mountainside view.

  
“Turns out, I had an opening in my schedule today.” He looked at her, his eyes shining. “And there’s something oddly satisfying about watching nobles fuss over their stuffy blazers.”

 

Brianna thought of Olivia this morning and smiled. “I know what you mean. Is that why you’re not frowning? Well, not frowning as much as usual, anyway.”

 

“It has more to do with the company I keep,” he grinned back.

  
“A second compliment!”

  
“One more and you win the jackpot.”

 

“I hope it’s all your whisky,” she laughed, and he joined in for a moment until they settled into the quiet of the mountains. “Drake… we need to talk. About the songs?”

 

Drake smiled at her and sighed. “I know. You know, when we first met, I wanted to dislike you so badly…”

 

“You actually _wanted_ to dislike me? Why?” Brianna frowned.

 

“You were crashing Liam’s bachelor party!” he shot back defensively. “It was supposed to be our last night out together before all of this. We’ve always been like brothers, doing everything together. Now I’m lucky to see him for five minutes without a noble girl throwing herself in front of him.”

  
Drake was frowning, but he caught her eye and shook his head. “Sorry. I didn’t mean…”

 

“I know what you meant,” she reassured him. “I could tell, though.”

 

“Heh. I guess I wasn’t subtle about it, was I?”

 

“Subtle like a freight train,” she snorted.

  
“Well… that was a long time ago. Somewhere along the way… things changed.” His tone was serious, and she felt that energy in the air that always seemed to follow them. Drake rubbed at his face roughly. “Hell, Richardson, I don’t even know why I’m telling you any of this.”

 

“What changed? How did it change?” she asked him, and he looked out at the view.

  
“I don’t know. I’m trying, Richardson, I am.”

 

Brianna bit her lip, thinking hard. What could she say to that? What did that even mean? “You’re easy to talk to. Once you get past all the grumpiness,” she said simply.

 

“Most people find me unapproachable.”  
  
“I find you too approachable,” she said without thinking, feeling her cheeks burn. “Sorry, not me, I mean.”  
  
“Hmm… guess I haven’t been trying hard enough.” Drake shook his head, but she could see him smiling. “This has been touching, but I need to rescue Liam from his family for a couple minutes.”

  
With that, he rode ahead. There wasn’t any resolution to her questions, but Brianna couldn’t dwell on it right now. It was more than enough to think about for now. She rode in silence for a few minutes until Marabelle sped up a little to join the group. Bertrand and Maxwell were still ahead of her, and she could hear them caught up in an intense conversation.

 

“Do I make myself clear?” Bertrand snapped, his profile wrinkled in anger.

 

“Yeah…” Maxwell mumbled as his brother kicked the horse into a faster gait, creating distance. Brianna noted that having conversations on horses was not only strange, but convenient. You could leave the conversation with ease, and that was a notable quality.

 

“What was that about?” she asked Maxwell softly, moving her horse to be in line with his.

  
“Oh, you know, estate things…” Maxwell said vaguely, his face sad. “The consequences of failure and eternal ruination of our family name and fortune.”

 

Brianna felt a little weak at his words. The consequences that they would face if she didn’t pick Liam. _No, that’s not right._ If Liam didn’t pick her. Brianna wanted to cry. Her brain and her heart were pulling in different directions, but how could she disregard House Beaumont? Without the brothers, none of this would have been possible. “Oh…”

 

“Just the usual, really.” Maxwell brightened.

 

“You seem chipper though,” she offered.  
  
“I don’t think we’re going to fail. You and Liam are getting close. Even when he’s busy talking to his family, he sneaks glances back to you.”

 

“Maxwell… what if, just hypothetically, what if I was falling for someone else?”

 

Maxwell looked at her in full on shock. “…What?!”

 

His yelp was so loud a few ladies looked backward, including Hana and Olivia.  
  
“No… Brianna, _please_ don’t say that! Look, the social season can be a confusing time. It’s easy to bond really quickly with people here throughout the activities… you can’t trust how you might be feeling now.”

  
“But—”  
  
“Even if you’re having doubts, you’re here for the prince,” he cut her off quickly, his face a mask of intensity.

 

“Yeah, I get it. Maxwell, relax!” she urged him, feeling hot and prickly herself. “It was just a hypothetical. Liam and I… well, look, the crown will be mine, okay?”

 

Maxwell watched her closely, he _really_ looked at her, and nodded with a smile. “Right.” The tension in the air dissolved. “You should say that stuff more often when Bertrand is around.”

 

“Yeah,” she chuckled weakly. The trail moved through the mountain pass, and Maxwell let her mind run wild as she turned what Maxwell said over and over. He was so adamant, and the look on his face… it made her reconsider everything.

  
“We’re coming up on our stop,” Maxwell let her know as they moved through the mountain pass and came to the old mountain village. Brianna let out a scoff of laughter as she took in the absolutely charming cabins, the clear river, and the sprawling mountain view.  
  
“Everyone, we’ve reached out hunting lodges. Our forebears would dine on the day’s hunt here, and though we no longer hunt we still have a great feast,” King Constantine bellowed from his horse, motioning to the little village that surrounded them. “But first, we race to celebrate our ancestors…”

 

Brianna watched as Liam nudged his mare to the trees at the far end of the village. Marabelle snuffed and tapped the ground impatiently. “

 

“The first to reach Prince Liam will be served first at the feast!” the king announced, waiting until all the girls lined up. Brianna had to admit she was very hungry, and as she lined up next to Hana, she rubbed her stomach dramatically, making Hana giggle.

  
“Begin!” Constantine called out, and Brianna squeezed Marabelle to urge her forward. Though her muscles ached, she had to admire the horse’s perseverance as Marabelle thundered down the field. It seemed easy for Marabelle to breeze past Prince Liam, letting Brianna win the race. She caught a look of surprise on Liam’s face, and the king was clapping delightedly.

 

“That’s superb horsemanship in action. Servants, prepare the first plate for Lady Brianna,” the king ordered, and Brianna caught Olivia’s eye with a smirk. This was a change from having to pretend to faint to get a bowl of bisque.

 

The king looked around, his expression light. “Now, then. Let’s all take some time to rest. Dinner will begin shortly.”

 

Once Maxwell dismounted, he came around to help Brianna down. She felt her legs aching the second her feet touched the ground. She let out a little exhale as she handed the reins to a servant who led Marabelle away with the other horses. She looked around and spotted Tariq just a foot away.

  
“Ah, Lady Brianna,” he greeted smoothly.

  
“Tariq? It’s been so long. How was your ride?” she asked politely.

  
“It was a long journey, but I happen to own a pair of boots as soft as a newborn kitten.”

 

“They’re not actually made out of kittens, right?” Brianna said with a small frown.

 

“Hardly,” he scoffed, his smile bright. “I can only hope your ride was at least half as comfortable.”

  
“I want to collapse. Everything hurts. It’s all terrible. And I want to die.”

Tariq looked offended on her behalf. “You need extra cushions and a hot bath tonight. I’ll have one of the servants give you my spare cushioned saddle. That’ll help you on the return trip.”

  
“We have to ride back? I was hoping there’d be a limo…”

 

“Unfortunately, no.”

  
“Then thank you, Tariq. You may just save my ass,” she joked, laughing as he looked a little flustered. Luckily for him, Prince Liam was approaching.

  
“Tariq,” he greeted warmly. “May I have a word with Lady Brianna?”

 

“Of course, Prince Liam. Lady Brianna, I hope our paths cross again.” Tariq bowed before exiting to chat with Kiara and Olivia.

 

“Finding a moment is harder with all these people around,” Liam said, and she nodded in agreement. She needed the crown for the Beaumont brothers.

  
“I’m glad you chose to spend that rare moment with me,” she beamed.  
  
“Me too.”

  
Drake, Hana, and Maxwell made their way over to interrupt the private moment, but Brianna didn’t really mind. It was nice to have a group of people like this to get through the social season… a group of friends.

  
“Hey, the feast is being put out,” Drake told them, and Maxwell rubbed his hands together in excitement.

  
“And they’ve got dishes supposedly blessed by the spirits of the nearby ruins,” Maxwell shared.

 

“Ooooh!” Hana gasped dramatically, her eyes wide. “I’ve heard legends about those ruins! They sound magical. People travel from all around just to see them.”

 

“It’s a shame we’re not scheduled to see them,” Liam agreed.

  
“We aren’t? I was so hoping too…” Hana cast her gaze downward in disappointment.

 

“Why don’t we just go anyway?” Maxwell suggested with a shrug. “Sounds like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!”

 

“Are you sure we should?” With her wide-eyed surprise, Hana looked positively scandalized.

  
“It’d be nice to spend some time together without this crowd around. What dod you say, Brianna?” Liam asked.

 

“Let’s have an adventure!” Brianna said in agreement, giving Maxwell the high five he was requesting.  
  
“Alright!” he cheered.

  
Hana looked delighted. “I’m excited to visit another piece of Cordonian history.”

 

“Follow me,” Liam said, taking a few steps forward. “I know how to get there.”

 

The group obliged, quietly following Liam and sneaking out of the village. They moved through a little patch of forest, Liam weaving expertly through the trees, until they broke into a clearing. The old ruined temples seemed to sprout from the ground, covered in moss and crumbling with age.

 

“Here we are,” Liam waved to the clearing with a sense of pride.

 

“It’s so beautiful and serene. Oh, Liam thank you for taking us here,” Hana said in a girlish, breathy way.

 

Drake’s arms were crossed as he looked around, nodding brusquely. “Yep… sure are a bunch of old things here.”

 

“It’s so much more than that,” Liam chastised kindly. “There’s something so calm about this place. Can’t you sense it?”

“The only thing I sense is about a million snakes and probably a couple of rock monsters getting ready to attack us,” Maxwell said as he peered around a group of rocks.

  
“Rock monsters?” Hana repeated slowly. “Do you have rock monsters in Cordonia?”

 

“It was a joke…” Maxwell broke off. He shook his head sadly. “Just forget it.”  
  
Brianna looked around, inhaling the mossy, earthy scent. There was something clean about it, and she did feel herself relaxing in the calmness of everything, but it wasn’t quite as magnificent to her as it was to Hana, or even Liam.  
  
“I want to find some ghosts,” she decided, wiggling her fingers at Hana jokingly.

 

“Ghosts?” Hana said with a wrinkled nose.

  
“Maybe one will tell me my future!” Maxwell looked excited at the prospect. Drake clapped him on the back, grinning.

 

“Or devour your soul.”

“Drake,” Brianna warned.

 

They laughed softly, breaking off to examine the ruins. Brianna moved to Liam, watching him study a temple intently. The contemplation in his face was beautiful, and she didn’t want to disturb him.  
  
“These ruins are amazing,” she murmured, taking a place beside him.

 

“They are beautiful, aren’t they? To be standing among buildings that contain such history.”

 

“There’s certainly a sense of awe to it.”

 

“Father likes to remind me of our history… I think as he’s gotten older, he’s become more concerned with his place in it.”

  
“It probably makes you think, too,” she probed gently.

 

“It does,” he nodded, casting a sideways glance at her. “Soon the crown will be placed on my head, and some historian will record that day as the beginning of King Liam’s reign. What kind of legacy will I leave?”  
  
“Liam…” she began, clearing her throat. “You will have a great legacy. They’ll build statues of you, write poems, and name holidays after you.” Brianna believed it, too.

 

“I suppose it wouldn’t be so bad if I was associated with giving people more holidays and breaks,” he admitted with a smile. “But I can’t help but wonder… what moniker would they give me? King Liam the Bold? King Liam the Wise?”

 

“King Liam the Compassionate,” she suggested. “You care about your people. A lot. They’ll remember you for that.”

 

“This is what I love about you, Brianna.” Liam moved his hand to hers, holding it carefully. “One minute, I can feel the weight of all of Cordonia on my shoulders… and then with you by my side, I don’ feel the weight… I feel the _possibility_. I feel capable of anything. I should have known that you’re the only person who could turn all of this around.”

 

Brianna squeezed his hand. “Liam, you _are_ capable of anything. We can do anything together.” The last part slipped out, but there was something about Liam that made her feel so confident with him. He really boosted her up, and there was a freedom in their relationship—oddly enough—that she supposed wasn’t there with Drake.

 

“That we can,” he agreed, pulling on her hand to get her to face him. As she did, he cupped her face tenderly. “I could stay here all night.”

 

“We don’t want to be missed,” Brianna reminded him.

  
“We should gather the others soon,” he agreed.  
  
“I wonder where they’ve wandered off to,” Brianna said, moving away from Liam and towards one of the buildings. She wanted to use Liam’s inspiration to admire the decrepit brick structure. Drake sidled over to the tree beside the temple, sliding down to slump against one of the tree’s enormous roots. He was getting bolder, interacting with her unabashedly. She wasn’t sure what to make of it.  
  
“Hey, Richardson.”

 

“You look like you’re having a good time exploring.”

  
“Archaeology isn’t really my thing.”

  
“You could at least look around,” she suggested. “It’s not like you come here often.”

 

“I looked around. There’s some old buildings. That’s about it.”

 

“Hmmm…” Brianna tapped her fingers to her lips in thought. He was being intentionally stubborn, but she couldn’t really disagree with him or fault his thinking. “I guess it _is_ just a bunch of buildings. Technically speaking.”

  
“Exactly. No need to work up a fuss about some bricks that stopped being useful centuries ago.”

  
“So why did you come out here if you don’t really care for these sorts of things?” Brianna challenged with a tiny smile.

 

“I don’t think we’re going to get many more times like this,” he replied easily.

  
“Like what?”

 

Drake looked up at her, the green of his eyes amplified against the moss-covered tree. They seemed sad. “I mean… Liam is going to king soon. And you could very well be his queen. Everything’s going to change.”

 

“You’re right. We won’t need to associate with the common riff-raff. I mean, really, what could you even provide for us? A sense of grounding and humility?”  
  
“I see what you’re trying to do here. It’s not going to work.”

 

“Or maybe someone to sneak us out of the palace? Why would we want that when we’re drinking champagne and shaking ambassadors’ hands?” she said, crossing her eyes good-humouredly as she spoke.

 

Drake’s lips twitched. “Yeah, yeah. Keep on punching down.”

 

 _If only you knew_.

 

“Or maybe,” she said softly, crouching to sit beside him, “we’ll need a reminder that no matter how tough someone may seem on the outside, there’s a big, lovable softie on the inside.”

  
“Lovable?” he asked, his eyes locking on hers. Brianna felt her hands grow clammy at his unwavering gaze, but she nodded ever so slightly. She knew she shouldn’t, she knew she should back up, but she couldn’t. He was just… he was _Drake_.

  
“Yes,” she said softly.

 

“You’re the worst, Richardson,” he spoke with an obvious fondness as he looked away. She could see his smile with ease.  
  
“Would you have me any other way?”

  
“Richardson… we may have had some ups and downs between us, but I want you to know that I’ve enjoyed this little adventure with you. Not just the ruins, but the whole thing since I walked into your bar in New York.”

 

Brianna smiled at him, and it seemed like they could feel the energy shift.

  
“You’re… you’re not bad,” he managed.

  
“Awww, Drake,” she cooed, resting her head on his shoulder softly. “I care for you too.”

 

“Richardson… I…”

 

Drake pulled back, looking at her for a long moment before rubbing at his forehead. “You’re something else…” he whispered to her, his eyes dancing in the low light.  
  
Oh, how badly she wanted to lean over, to press her lips against his, to taste that smirk on his lips…  
  
“Now,” she said, standing quickly and brushing her pants off, “we really need to get you out of here before you completely lose it. All this reflecting isn’t healthy for you.”

 

“You’re right. If I stay much longer, I might melt into a big ball of mush.” He gave an exaggerated shudder. Brianna gave him a little wave goodbye as she made her way to the bank overlooking the river, joining Maxwell who was skipping rocks.

  
“Not a bad toss,” she admired, and he grinned back.

  
“Five skips is my record. It’s not much, but it’s respectable. Though there was probably some kid who lived here who could skip a stone over ten times.” Maxwell picked up a rock, rubbing his thumb over it, testing the smoothness. “Want to give it a try?”

 

“Sure.”

 

“The trick is to clear your mind and become one with the rock. It is an extension of your will.”

 

“Can do,” she said, letting her wrist loosen to throw the rock. It skipped across the water seven times, making a satisfying little ‘bloop’ with every move across the river.  
  
“Most impressive.”  
  
“Beginner’s luck,” she promised, winking at him. “Or, perhaps, the student has surpassed the master.”

 

Maxwell grabbed another rock and skipped it across the river. He was happy, as always, but there was something making him much more quiet than usual.  
  
“You know, I don’t really know all that much about you,” Brianna began softly.

  
“There’s not really much to know.”

  
“Really? I’ve seen you talk about yourself for hours at out social events,” she teased.

 

“That’s just, y’know, small talk. Nothing real.”

 

“Tell me something real.”

 

Maxwell looked at her carefully, smiling softly. “What do you want to know?”  
  
“Have you ever loved someone before?”

 

“Oh…” Maxwell looked surprised, and a little uneasy. “You don’t play around with these questions, do you?”

  
“I do not,” she beamed.

 

“Well, Bertrand’s the more eligible between the two of us. He’s the Duke of Ramsford, after all. I’ve always kind of thought I’d figure things out once he was married.” Maxwell met her eyes, smiling sadly. “But I don’t think Bertrand’s gotten any closer to getting married… There’s no need to dwell too much on it, though.”

 

The answer surprised her a little, but at the same time it was exactly what she expected.

  
“I’ve got one other question for you. Tell me… why did you decide to sponsor me?”

 

Maxwell regarded her carefully. “I saw something in you that I thought Cordonia needed. Hope.”

  
“Hope?” she repeated dumbly.

  
“Well, the way Liam looked at you… I’ve never seen him look at anyone that way. And he’s a really good guy. Maybe the best person I know. I think he deserves a shot at being really happy, even if he is the prince.”  
  
Brianna’s eyes pricked with tears as she looked to Drake for just a minute.  
  
“Excuse me,” she whispered, stepping past everyone to find Hana. That was who she needed to talk to. Hana made everything seem better, she grounded Brianna. Here was Maxwell, trying to the best thing for Cordonia and for his friend, and she was _still_ flirting with Drake. Falling for him. But… she liked Liam, too. This whole situation was toying with her mind. She walked around the clearing, unable to find Hana, until she decided to poke her head in one of the temples. Hana was examining a faded mosaic, whispering softly to herself.

 

“Brianna, look at this,” she said as soon as she noticed that Brianna was there. “It’s managed to survive after all these years.”  
  
“Well…” Brianna trailed off, looking at the crumbling wall, “survive as much as one can.”

  
“Isn’t that all any of us can strive for?”

 

Silence settled around them, and Brianna wanted to bring up her feelings to Hana, but she wasn’t even sure where to start.

  
Hana continued, oblivious to Brianna’s internal plight. “Think of how beautiful it must’ve been in its time.”

 

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. This still looks beautiful to me.”

 

“You’re right. Some things only grow better with age. I’ve visited ruins around where I’m from, and they’re just as beautiful as these. It’s amazing the feats we can accomplish when we work together.”  
  
“Are you proposing we build our own temple?” Brianna asked with a giggle.

 

“Maybe if there were more of us,” Hana replied absentmindedly as her fingers traced the wall of decaying mosaic. “I wonder if anything I do would last this long. Would I be like this artist? Or maybe I’d have a poem written about me. Though there isn’t much to say about me, I suppose.”

 

Brianna looked over to her friend, Hana’s petite face looking defeated. “Hana, you could get a poem about your journey. You’ve traveled from a far-off land in search of love!”

 

“I suppose I have,” Hana replied, her lips curving into a slow smile. “And lucky for me, I found a friend in you along with way… though… it’s a little foolish to be concerned what other will think about you when you’re dead. You have no control over what survives. Some great archaeological find could be the work of a potter who was just trying to get by.”

 

“It’s not entirely silly. We want to feel like we did something lasting with our time,” Brianna reassured her, feeling her throat tighten with emotion.

  
“Maybe… I could be reading into this too much. Maybe the person who made this was simply bored. Who knows, the artist could’ve been a total jerk.”

 

“They probably didn’t care what we would think anyway.”

 

Hana’s laughter was like a little bell. They studied the mosaic for a few moments, until Hana looked over at her companion.  
  
“Brianna, are you okay?”  
  
Brianna looked up, smiling hesitantly. “Yeah, why?”

 

Hana clicked her tongue softly, taking a step closer. “You’re crying.”

  
“Oh,” she replied, raising her hand to her cheek and feeling the tear that was sliding across her skin. “So I am.” Brianna forced a little laugh, but it was hollow to even her own ears. “I’m just… oh, I’m so confused.”

 

Hana rubbed her friend’s back soothingly, murmuring something kind that Brianna couldn’t hear over her own shallow, shaking breaths.

 

“It’s just… I know Liam is the reason I’m here, but I can’t let my walls down with him, not fully. I never want to be in a position where someone is controlling me again, and it wouldn’t be him doing it, but just the _situation_ of it all,” Brianna rushed, rubbing her nose roughly. “I feel like I’m at a fork in the road between what I think I need and what I want, and I can’t go after what I want because everything would be all messed up for everyone if I did.”

 

Brianna looked to Hana, sniffling weakly. “I’m sorry. I know I’m not making any sense.”

 

“Oh, Brianna,” Hana said softly, pulling her into a hug. Brianna tightened her grip, letting herself cry into Hana’s blazer. They pulled apart, and Brianna wiped roughly at her eyes.

  
“I’m a mess.”

 

“Yes, but it’s okay,” Hana assured her kindly, sharing a soft, gentle smile.

 

“Thank you, Hana.”

  
“You’re welcome.”

 

There was a little beat of silence before Brianna noticed that Hana was shivering against the little breeze coming through the temple.  
  
“Somebody’s got the chills,” Brianna teased, sniffling and dabbing at the corners of her eyes.

 

“This place could use more insulation.”

 

 “Take it up with the builders.”

 

“You’re right. Now where did I leave my Ouija board?” Hana asked, looking around jokingly.

 

“Oh no!” Brianna yelped. “There will be no Ouija boards used in old ruins. I’ve seen this movie before.” She raised her hands up, palms out, shaking them in disapproval.

 

“Alright. I’ll just stand by this mosaic and not open a portal to the nine hells.”

 

They broke off into laughter before Hana looked around, gulping dramatically. “Where’s everyone else?”  
  
“Back in the clearing. Let’s go, scaredy-cat,” Brianna said, leading Hana out of the temple. “Thanks again,” she said under her breath, and Hana pulled her into a quick hug before they joined Drake, Liam, and Maxwell.

 

“That was lovely,” Liam said, his optimism radiating as he looked around the ruins.

 

Maxwell sighed, following Liam’s gaze. “There weren’t any ghosts.”

 

“Why are you sad about that?” Hana asked, her brows knitting together.

 

“I don’t know, I’m kind of curious what a ghost would have to say. Would’ve made a good story,” he replied with a shrug.

 

“You can always lie,” Drake suggested drily. “I’ll back you up.”

 

“There’s an idea!” Maxwell said with a little wiggle of his hips.

 

“Please don’t tell me any ghost stories. I know I said that stuff about ghosts when we came here, but I was just acting brave,” Brianna said with a trailing chuckle.

  
“I won’t tell it to _you_. You’ll be a supporting character in the story.”

 

“Do I survive?”

 

“No.”

 

“Awww…” Brianna frowned and crossed her arms, catching Drake’s eye.

 

“Hah,” Drake laughed.  
  
“Drake is the first to die though,” Maxwell clarified, and Brianna let out a surprised snort of laughter.

 

“Hey!” Drake shouted, turning to Maxwell who was laughing with Hana.

  
“Alright, everyone,” Liam commanded, his voice cutting through the playful mood. “It’s time to head out.”

  
“These ruins were bigger than I thought,” Brianna said as they made their way back to the forest, Liam leading the pack.

  
“Could’ve used an open bar in my opinion,” Drake mumbled under his breath.

  
Maxwell clapped him on the back. “The feast is waiting for us back at the village! Let’s go!”

 

* * *

 

By the time they got back, the buffet table had been set up and the sheer volume of food that Brianna could see was astounding.  
  
“Wow… that’s a lot of meat,” she said, her gaze focused on what looked to be a huge, roasted pig.

 

“It’s not exactly a feast without it, Richardson.”

  
Hana pretended to swat at Drake. “A little more fruit couldn’t hurt.”  
  
“I wouldn’t mind putting a bunch of fruit on a stake and waving it around like a sword,” Maxwell agreed, poking his finger through the air.  
  
“Alright, let’s grab our food before Maxwell gets any other crazy ideas,” Drake said, moving toward the table.

  
Maxwell continued, oblivious. “And then I could wear a watermelon as a helmet… I’d be unstoppable.”  
  
Brianna nodded along with Maxwell as he continued to discuss the limitations of an entire outfit comprised of fruit. She loaded her plate up, making sure to take a huge helping of salad, and found the table with Drake, Hana, and Liam. Soon, Maxwell joined them with a glass in his hand. He raised it higher, and everyone grabbed their cups as well.

  
“A toast to all of us and to our friendship!” he beamed.

  
“To friendship!” Hana agreed.

  
“Ugh…” Drake scoffed, but before Brianna elbowed him in the ribs, he was raising his glass. “To friendship.”

 

“To friendship.” Liam said, catching Brianna’s eye with a wink.

 

Brianna took in a deep breath, feeling tears flood her eyes. “To friendship!”

  
They clinked their cups and dug into the meal, which was mouth-watering and so perfect for the end of a long day. Feeling fat and lazy, Brianna made her way atop Marabelle, settling into the cushioned saddle from Tariq. She yawned hugely and rode the entire way home in the middle of the pack, not wanting to make much conversation. Luckily, everyone seemed on board with that plan, even Olivia.  
  
When Brianna finally spotted the glowing lights of Applewood Manor, she let out a breath of relief. The ride back had been faster, but it had still been a long day. A really long day.  
  
“That was a long ride,” Brianna said as she yawned, sliding herself off of Marabelle. Bertrand dismounted beside her, his normally sharp face flat in exhaustion.

 

“For once, I agree with you,” he drawled.  
  
Maxwell was even frowning, rubbing his eyes. “It was getting dark too. Good thing the last part of the trail had lights.”  
  
“But now I can soak in a tub for the rest of my life,” Brianna said dreamily.

  
“Or… until the country jamboree starts tomorrow!” Maxwell replied cautiously, trying to inject enthusiasm in his voice. “Hope you’re ready for another paaaaaarrrrrttyyyyyy!”

 

Bertrand looked at Maxwell blankly, sighing.

 

“This is how I die.”

 

* * *

* * *

 

 


	14. Chapter Fourteen: A Realization of Romance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s time for a country party with another damned hedge maze and, of course, a shirtless man.
> 
> **NSFW: Language **

* * *

* * *

Brianna sank into a deep sleep the second she hit the pillow. It had been such a long day, and her mind was so exhausted. The next morning, she woke up extra early and jogged all of her thoughts away. If she could stay dead exhausted, maybe she could stop overanalyzing every little thing about Drake and Liam. On her way back to her room, she stopped in the kitchen and grabbed a coffee.

 

When she stepped back into the room, her heart faltered. There was a post-it on the ground, folded in half. She didn’t know what to think, but her body moved to the vanity, her fingers traced the iPod. She set the coffee down, her hands shaking just a little.  
  
_R,_

_  
Sorry. I’ll stop._

Her lips curled into a smile. No matter how confused she was, there was a purely physical reaction to see his writing, to touch the indents that his pen had left. Brianna rolled her eyes at herself, plugging in her headphones heading to the bathtub with her coffee. The iPod had been loaded with new music, but it didn’t seem to have such a pointed suggestion anymore. She felt a little sad at the thought.

In the bubbles, Brianna sank low. What had Drake been thinking when he’d been picking music out for her? Why did he stop now? Brianna cradled the hot coffee in her hands, sipping at it thoughtfully.

 

She slipped the headphones out and toweled herself off. She got dressed quickly, keeping her hair tied up, and tucked her iPod away.

 

With her muscles loosened and some caffeine coaxing her limbs into action, Brianna met Bertrand and Maxwell in the manor’s foyer. They led her down the staircase, brushing past the various nobles milling about, admiring paintings, eating appetizers, and socializing. The manor was abuzz with activity, and it actually started to energize Brianna.

  
Tariq was motioning to a gorgeous painting at the top of the stairs, charming several nobles. “As you can see, this painting is reminiscent of Rembrandt’s style during the Dutch Golden Age.”  
  
“The still-life declares that the mundane and the everyday are worthy of the status of high art,” Kiara murmured, nodding along with Tariq.

  
“I wish these had more poodles.”  
  
Brianna couldn’t see who was speaking, but she knew that it had to have been Penelope.  
  
“To artistic enrichment!” Kiara said, and as Brianna moved further down the stairs, she could hear glasses clinking in cheers.

 

Maxwell turned to Brianna with excitement in his eyes, his hand grabbing at her arm. “Ohhh, looks like they broke out the drinks early for this event…”  
  
“Focus, Maxwell, we don’t have time for party antics.” Bertrand sniffed, his face a rough scowl.

 

“But I have so many new tricks…”

 

Brianna patted his shoulder in a silent support. “What’s the point of a party unless you celebrate like there’s no tomorrow?”

  
“Exactly!”

 

Bertrand made a loud disapproving noise, something like a scoff and a groan. “For House Beaumont, there may very well be no tomorrow.”

 

“So…” Brianna trailed off, looking between the brothers. She wasn’t going to get bogged down in the potentially dismal fate of House Beaumont, one that she could control to a large degree.

 

“Perfect time to party?”

 

Bertrand folded his arms tightly, shooting Brianna a disgusted look, his lips curling. “Hardly. You would do well to take this more seriously. Both of you. First order of business, make Brianna presentable for the country jamboree.”  
  
“I happen to think I’m naturally presentable,” she purred, offering a charming smile. Bertrand’s eyebrow rose, slowly. “But that doesn’t mean I’m above a fine dress every now and then…” she continued sadly. “I really thought jeans would be okay for today, the whole country thing?”

 

“No. Today’s events are charmingly rustic… games on the lawn and dinner in the gardens. Find something suitable yet elegant.”

 

Maxwell smiled at her. “Off we go.”

 

They rounded the corner to the manor’s boutique, and Brianna let out a sigh. She had dressed so carefully this morning in jeans, adorable wedges, and a flowy orange top that gave serious cowgirl vibes for some reason. Instead of dwelling on it, she sidled up to a small rack of clothing and starting flipping through options. After several minutes, neither of them could find anything.

  
“I’m sure we can find something appropriately ‘rustic’ here,” Maxwell said, holding up a hot pink ballgown and frowning. He moved to another section and plucked a white dress of the rack, holding it up for her.

  
“That’s perfect!” Brianna said, taking the hanger from him. “Even Bertrand would approve!”

 

“Well, try it on.”

 

After squeezing into the dress, she stepped back and let out a little sigh. It was perfect. The dress was white with a pink floral design, fitted up top and flaring out gently past her waist. It had a solid white hem of a few inches, ending in delicate lace, and it was the perfect length to showcase her thighs. The straps were thin to allow for the upcoming sweltering day, and Brianna fastened the brown woven belt around her waist to add more country flair.  
  
“Maxwell? Can you run and grab my cowboy boots?” she called from the dressing room. She freshened up her makeup, popping on a light, but natural pink lipstick and letting her hair down, finger-combing the big, tumbling curls. They settled in a cascade down her back, and she felt she looked every bit the fresh, country bumpkin that she wasn’t. Maxwell poked the shoes through the curtain of the dressing room, panting, and she slipped them on and stepped out.

  
“Now we’re ready to turn this from a ‘party’ to a ‘country party’. Thanks for the boots, Maxwell!” she chirped, kicking her leg up flirtatiously as she passed her credit card over to the man at the register.

  
“Darn tootin’,” he agreed with a stupid grin.

 

“Probably don’t say that again.”

 

“Yep, knew it was a mistake as soon as I said it.”

 

“Let’s rock this place,” she laughed, moving out of the boutique.  
  
“Party time!” he sang behind her as they made their way back to the foyer. There was something Maxwell wanted to show her, and with Bertrand seemingly gone for the moment, they made their way through the manor. As they worked their way down one wing, they passed Hana sitting in a window alcove, cell phone to her ear, in deep conversation.

 

“Yes, I know,” Hana said. “No, you’ve made yourself perfectly clear. I’ve tried that… My etiquette has been fine… uh-huh… There’s still time…” Hana let out a little exhale, and Brianna could hear the frustration in just that sound. “If I’m being honest, no… No, the prince isn’t likely to choose me.”

 

“Maxwell, I’ll catch you outside,” Brianna told him quietly, taking a step towards Hana, who looked defeated.

 

“No worries. I’ll see you down there.”

 

Brianna moved closer, tapping Hana on the shoulder. She looked behind her in surprise, warming as she saw Brianna.

  
“…Oh! Hello, Brianna. I’m just on the phone with my mother…” she trailed off, frowning. “No. Mom, I’m not ignoring you. Brianna just walked over to me… Yes, the one from New York.”

 

“Your mom knows about me?” she whispered.

 

Hana nodded, pulling the phone away from her mouth slightly. “My parents follow Cordonian news.” There was a little buzzing from her phone, and she put it back to her ear. “Hm? Yes, Mom, I’ve tried gaining the court’s favour… I’ve become friends with Prince Liam… Right. I’m not here to befriend him.”  
  
“Hana, your parents don’t get to dictate your life. You’re your own person, and you have the final say in your life.” Brianna crossed her arms, her quiet tone fiery with passion.

 

Hana covered the phone, her face registering annoyance at the situation. “You don’t think I’ve tried telling them that? They don’t listen. It’s all about the family and the house with them.” She moved the phone back. “Yes, Mom. I know you love me an only want what’s best for me.”

 

The way she said that, so flat and rehearsed, broke Brianna’s heart. “They should listen to you… if they love you, they need to listen to you,” Brianna said softly.

“But…” she trailed off weakly, looking up at Brianna with a lost expression.  
  
“Tell them how you really feel,” she suggested gently. “Kindly.”

 

Hana looked to her phone contemplatively.  
  
“You can do it,” Brianna said, touching Hana’s shoulder gently, her fingers just grazing the caramel skin. Hana’s face hardened, and she nodded to herself.  
  
“Mother, there’s more to my life than fulfilling your wishes. I’ve done everything you’ve ever told me to do, and it’s made me miserable. If you really want me to be happy…” Hana trailed off, her voice wavering. “Then you have to let me figure out what that means for _me_.”

  
Hana hung up the phone call with a little sigh. Brianna was so amazed that Hana had even spoken up against her family, let alone in such a calm, polite way. Though was there really a different way that Hana would have handled it?

 

“Hana… you stood up to them. I’m so proud of you!” Brianna sat beside her friend, giving her a little side hug.

  
“I’m proud of me too! That felt… amazing. I can’t believe I stood up to them, I—” Hana’s face twisted in pure shock. “Oh my goodness. I can’t believe I said those things to my mother! She’s going to be so furious!”  
  
“You know what? She’ll come around. Just give her some time. You’re not being unreasonable, and you didn’t say anything rude, or anything that wasn’t true.”

 

“Maybe you’re right. I need to stay strong, even when she pushes back. It is _my_ life,” Hana agreed slowly.

  
“Exactly. I know it’s not easy to do it…” she trailed off, feeling a weird onset of tears. She blinked them back, braving a smile, “But it’s always worth it.”

  
“Thank you, Brianna. You know… that was kind of nice. Thanks for helping me do that.”

  
“You had the courage to follow through,” Brianna reminded her, giving her shoulders a little squeeze.

  
“There’s strength in numbers… though I think I’ve delayed both of us long enough.”

  
“The party will survive without us,” Brianna said solemnly. “But not for long.”

 

She stood and shot Hana a wink, offering a hand. Hana took it and they stood up together. They made their way through the manor, chatting about the long horse ride yesterday, and out to the lawn. Maxwell wove his way through the small groups of people, stopping in front of them with an infectious grin.

 

“Brianna, Hana, there you are! Looking lovely as always.” He looked to them each warmly. “Shall we make our grand entrance?” Brianna nodded, and they each looped an arm through Maxwell’s and made their way to the grounds. Nobles mingled about, holding glasses of mimosas and laughing. It so reminded her of a New York party, but there was a charm to this Cordonian event, perhaps in the games set up around the lawn. Brianna spotted croquet, badminton, and even archery.

  
“Not bad,” Maxwell mused under her breath. “Could use more music, but… that archery looks pretty sweet.”

 

“Not to mention dangerous…” Hana chimed in.  
  
Prince Liam spotted them from just a few feet away and made his way to the trio. He was beaming, holding a mimosa for himself as he approached.

 

“Good to see you all. Looks like Maxwell’s set his sights on archery, huh?” Liam teased, exchanging a friendly look with Brianna.

  
“You think they’ll let me shoot an apple of someone’s head?” Maxwell asked, looking over his shoulder to the various people shooting at targets.

  
“I don’t think that’s a good idea…” Hana said weakly.

 

“Heck, I bet I can do it blindfolded! I saw it in a video once,” he continued, breaking away toward the archery range.

 

“Maxwell!” Brianna called after him, but he didn’t turn around. “Oh… well, I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

 

Hana and Liam looked at her, and she gave an exaggerated grimace. “Okay, you guys are right. I’ll call the paramedics.”

 

“I sincerely hope that won’t be necessary,” Liam replied, but his face was pulled into a worried frown. Hana looked to the prince and then to Brianna, her eyes sparkling.

 

“I’ll keep him from hurting anyone. You two enjoy yourselves.”

 

“That’d be appreciated,” Liam nodded to her. She gave a little curtsy before scurrying after Maxwell, who was speaking to someone with a bow.

  
“Are you any good at playing ring toss?” he asked Brianna, and she laughed.

  
“Ring toss? I can beat you with my eyes closed!”

 

“Let’s see if you can deliver on that promise.”  
  
Liam led her over to the ring toss station, his fingers barely on the small of her back as the made their way though the throngs of people. They scooped up some rings and lined up at the tossing line where about twenty feet ahead stood a center peg surrounded by four smaller pegs.

  
“The center peg is worth two points,” he explained, gesturing as he spoke, “and the peripheral pegs are worth one point. We each get three tosses. So, who should go first?”

  
“Such a gentleman…” Brianna said with a smile. “Princes first.”

 

“Then I shall set the standard,” he nodded in a fake solemn way, turning to the pegs and eyeing the distance carefully.

 

“Don’t choke.”

 

Liam laughed, tossing his ring. It bounced off the center and landed on an outside peg.

 

“Not bad,” Brianna admitted, stepping up to the line.

  
“I’m a bit rusty, but points are points. Your turn.”

 

She tossed the ring onto the center peg easily. “Right down the center!”

 

“You _are_ good at this,” Liam admitted before landing a center peg himself.

 

“Oh no!” Brianna wailed dramatically.

  
“That’s more like it. Think you can match that, Lady Brianna?” he taunted.

  
“You mean…” she tossed her ring, jumping up excitedly as it slid down the center peg, “like that?”

 

Liam looked at her in exaggerated amazement. “Wow… I’m dealing with a whole different level of player.” He did a little stretch before his final throw, but he overshoot by at least two feet and the ring flopped lamely into the grass.

  
“No!” he moaned. “It was so close.”

  
“Not close enough.”

 

“You’ve got one toss left. Use it well.”

 

“Outer peg!” she called out as it bounced off the center. “All the points to meeeee!”

 

“Decent toss,” he agreed with a grin. “I know when to concede to my betters. Well played, Brianna.”

  
“What have I won?”

 

“Unfortunately, I don’t have a prize for you.”

 

She snapped her fingers. “Then I suppose you’ll have to do. I’ve always wanted my very own prince. I suppose it’s as good of a prize as any.”

 

“I’m all yours.”

 

This was so _easy_. Flirting with Liam, being with him, letting herself admire how radiant his smile was, how his sapphire eyes shone in the light.

 

“Whatever will I do with this prince I’ve been awarded?” she asked lowly, her lips curving into a smile.

 

“Kind things, I hope.”

 

They watched each other for a moment before Brianna broke the spell. “You know… this has been fun, but I was hoping for some time. You know, alone? With you?” We barely had a chance to talk during the royal hunt…”

 

Brianna broke off, biting her lip. During the royal hunt. When she and Drake spoke, and there were all these things sort of floating between them, and she was more confused than ever. Not that it mattered, because she spoke to Maxwell at the same royal hunt and he made it crystal clear how all of House Ramford’s future was depending on the outcome of the social season.

 

“I’m always hoping for time alone with you, Lady Brianna.” Liam’s tone was so strong and sincere, she admired the confidence he always exuded. “And there _is_ a hedge maze behind the manor. Secluded. Quiet. Away from prying eyes…”

 

“Another maze? Do all of your homes have one?”

 

“What can I say? My family enjoys them,” Liam chuckled, leaning in and lowering his voice. “Besides, we had fun there last time, didn’t we?”

 

“I can’t argue with that…” she said, starting to smile at the memory of racing the prince to the center of the maze back at the Cordonian palace. Liam glanced up to the sky and frowned.  
  
“Of course… we might not be able to go there. The country games are coming to an end, and I’m giving the opening remarks at the dinner that’s to follow.”

  
“Who’s to say the hedge maze isn’t on the way to dinner?” she replied, winking at him.

 

“You’re bad.”

 

“You have no idea,” she said, looking up at him through her dark eyelashes. “Though I prefer ‘efficient.’”

 

“Uh-huh. Come along then…”

 

Liam moved easily along the edge of the grounds, Brianna following. They passed the archery range where Maxwell was still shooting (at targets, thankfully) and Hana was cheering him on. Liam grabbed her hand and led her into the hedge maze. There was a little winding path of flower covered arches that he moved her through, and Brianna sighed as the breeze ruffled the flowers and carried the sweet scent of roses with it. They slowed to a dwindling walk after a little while, but Liam kept her hand in his.

  
“That’s better,” he sighed happily. “Somehow when I’m along with you, I feel so much more like myself.”

  
Liam turned to her, his smile unrestrained as he picked her up and swung her into a circle. Brianna let out a stream of laughter, holding onto his shoulders as the breeze ruffled her hair.

 

“My _best_ self, perhaps,” he said joyously, setting her down.

 

“You’re happy today.”

 

“I’m always happy when I’m with you, Lady Brianna…” Liam leaned forward and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. “And what about yourself? Do you find yourself enjoying the time we spend together?”

 

Brianna smiled up at him. This was so different, the lightness within him today. Not only was it endearing, but she found it very attractive. “I’d enjoy it more if you kissed me.”

 

“You’re always full of brilliant ideas,” he chuckled, resting a hand on her waist as he pulled her closer. Liam leaned down and kissed her sweetly. It was a nice kiss, but it didn’t ignite her the way she wanted. Brianna needed something from him, she longed for it, but she didn’t know what it was. She hoped the physical part of their relationship would give her some answers, but as she tried to deepen the kiss, he pulled away.

 

“So…” she said, taking a little step back. “Did you have a master plan to woo me here?”

  
He shook his head with a smile. “I thought we’d take a stroll, get lost in the maze, and never find our way out.”

 

“Ah, so this is all a plan—an elaborate plan, at that—to spend an eternity with me.”

 

“Precisely.”

  
“An eternity with you…” Brianna trailed off. Prince Liam always said the right things at exactly the right time, and it always left her feeling a little dizzy with the way he expressed his romantic side. She wanted to reciprocate, to adore him, but she just couldn’t move past those walls she’d built. “Does it have to be in a hedge maze?”

 

“It was the best available option at the moment.”

 

“I suppose an eternity with you anywhere isn’t so bad.”

 

“I’ve been thinking about the future. After the coronation…” Liam narrowed his eyes at her in concentration. “I’ve been trying to imagine what sort of queen you might be, if we were to be wed.”

 

“What sort of queen?” she repeated in surprise. “Usually you don’t talk so freely about the future…”

 

“Maybe today I want to.” His tone was serious, and she reached for his hand. It seemed to ground her, to reassure her.  “Brianna, I asked you before what you think my moniker would be as king. What do you think yours might be as queen? Queen Brianna the Fierce? Queen Brianna the Whimsical?”

 

“I’d be Queen Brianna the Great,” she grinned. “People would look back on all the causes I championed and think, ‘that queen was all-around awesome’ and Maxwell would be giving me a thumbs up and asking for high fives all the time in pride.”

 

Liam laughed, nodding along with her words. “Alright, so what causes are we talking about? What would Queen Brianna the Great champion in Cordonia?”

 

“I would champion excellent and affordable education for all,” she said after a moment’s thought.

  
“A lofty goal. It would take some time to implement, but I’d want to live in your Cordonia.”

  
“Thank you,” she smiled, running her thumb over his hand. “You know, my mother was never really around. And then, in my last year of high school, my dad was killed in a car crash.”

 

“I’m so sorry to hear that.”

  
“Thank you. I don’t think I will ever process that he’s gone, you know? But I finished high school early and worked my ass off at a crappy diner so I could use the money he saved up for me to go to university.” Brianna looked to the maze, smiling fondly. “He was my biggest cheerleader, and he always promised me I’d get a chance to get a better education if I wanted it. I thought that getting my degree would help me feel closer to him.”

 

“That’s a peaceful way to think of your situation,” Liam said kindly.  
  
“I think so, too. I wonder what he’d think of all this. He’d be happy I was having the adventure of a lifetime, I know.”

 

Together they smiled, looking into the maze for a few minutes.

  
“Thank you for sharing that with me, Brianna.”

 

“I appreciate you listening,” she said, smiling softly at him. A few beats passed before she spoke again. “Hey, Liam.”

 

“Hey, Brianna.”

 

“Will you push me on the swing?”

 

“My pleasure.”

 

Brianna pulled him to the swing, plopping down and letting him gently swing her. The wind tickled her face, and she let out a long, happy sigh. It felt good to talk about her dad. She missed him tremendously, and sharing that with Liam had made her feel a little closer to him.

 

“This hedge maze is similar to the one at the palace… but it’s always felt so different to me here,” Liam said, giving her another push.

 

“How so?”

 

“The country manor has a special place in my heart. My brother and I used to come here often as children. The rules were a but more relaxed out here.”  
  
“So you mean you only had formal dinners every _other_ night?” she joked.

 

“Heh. Pretty much. My brother and I were allowed to wear plain clothes and run rampant in the hillside.” She could hear the smile in his voice. “When we were here, we didn’t have to worry about photographers or curious Cordonians trying to get a glimpse of us.  For a short time, at least, we were allowed to just be children.”

 

“That sounds wonderful… although it doesn’t sound like you got much of a childhood,” she added with a thoughtful frown.

 

“Yes, we looked forward to our summers here every year. My brother and I never wanted to leave… I suppose our childhoods were very different than you’d expect. Once, when I was very young, I hid in the basement when it was time to go. My brother and parents had to search the entire grounds to find me.”

 

“Awwww,” she cooed, imagining a young Liam tucked in a dark corner while his family searched frantically.

 

“I would’ve been in a great deal of trouble… except my brother took all the blame. He told my parents that we’d been playing hide-and-seek and he simply couldn’t find me. They scolded him for starting a game too close to the time we weren’t meant to leave, but they couldn’t do much else.”

  
“What a good big brother.”

 

“He’s always looking out for me. I told I didn’t want him to get in trouble for it… he told me that he was always in trouble anyway, so a little more didn’t matter,” Liam’s smile was far away as he reminisced. “He said, ‘A duck in the pond doesn’t mind the rain. It’s already wet.’”

 

“Heh. He sounds like a really great guy.”

 

“Someday, I hope you get to meet my brother.”

 

“I’d like that,” she smiled sincerely. “You two seem to have such an amazing bond.”

  
“Do we?” he asked her, smiling lightly. “I suppose we’ve always been fairly close. What were _you_ like as a child? Any siblings?”

 

Brianna shook her head. “No siblings, and I was good as gold. I made good grades, had good friends, you know. Kept it easy for my dad. Mostly.”

 

“Sweet little Brianna… I imagine you were as delightful back then as you are now.”

 

She chuckled. “Something like that.” Liam let the swing slow to a stop, and as she stopped moving he leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her waist. Brianna took a deep breath, revelling in his clean, spicy scent.  
  
“It’s what I like best about you,” he said into her ear, and she shivered from his breath tickling her. She leaned into him, letting her head rest on his shoulder.

 

“Is that all you like about me?”

 

“There’s plenty more to you,” he said, moving to stand in front of her. He tugged her to her feet and pulled her close. She rested her head against his chest, listening to his heart beating.  Without much thought, she leaned away and cupped his cheek, pulling him close and pressing her lips to his. Liam indulged her for a moment, but he pulled away with a chuckle. She let out a little noise of frustration.

 

“What are you laughing about?”

 

“I’m just so happy.”

 

The things this man said. Brianna licked her lips, looking up at him. “You do seem different today. Lighter. More carefree. And you usually don’t talk about spending an eternity with me, or even what’ll happen after the social season… You know. Just in case the person you choose won’t be, well, me.”

 

He nodded. “I know. It’s just that I’ve been thinking a lot about that decision. And…”

 

Brianna waited for him to finish, but he seemed to be searching for his words. “And?”

 

“And I shouldn’t say anything official _yet_ … not until I have the approval of my parents and the court.” His face was light, and his smile was unbelievably huge. Brianna felt her heartbeat quicken at his words, but before she could comment on the implication of what he was saying, Liam shrugged. “Which won’t be for a few days. But I want you to know that I can’t wait for the coronation.”

 

“I can’t wait either,” she responded, swallowing thickly. Was he saying what she thought? She was excited by the prospect, which surprised her, but she also felt a rush of excitement and anxiety. The excitement arose from knowing if he proposed, she’d secure a positive future for the Beaumont brothers. She was ashamed to admit that the negative feelings were all tied into something that felt like an end.

 

The echoing chimes of bells came through the hedges, and Liam sighed.

 

“And that would be the official signal to end the games and assemble for the dinner,” he informed her.

  
“Aww. I say we stay here instead. We’re not playing a game!”

 

“I sincerely wish we could,” he told her, and the warmth in his voice radiated. “But… both of us are expected at the dinner, and we should at least make some effort to maintain appearances.”

 

As Brianna turned to leave with an exaggerated sigh, he grabbed her hand. “Allow me to be your escort.”

  
“More like my guide,” she giggled, gesturing around, “since I don’t know my way out of here.”

 

“I’ll lead us out slowly,” he promised.

 

“There’s nothing wrong with being fashionably late…”

 

* * *

 

Brianna and Liam rejoined the party, and he dropped her hand slowly. “We should blend back into our roles for now. Until next time, Lady Brianna.”

 

They parted ways to mingle with the gathered nobles. The sun set and the yard sparkled with little fairy lights and pristine white decorations everywhere. Servants bustled around, ensuring the tables were freshly stocked with food and drinks. Brianna could hear snippets of conversations, and as she grabbed some sort of cranberry drink, she overheard some of the suitors speaking in hushed tones.

  
“The king and queen seemed quite taken with you today, Lady Madeleine,” Kiara said, a little flatly.

  
“They respect my opinions,” Madeleine responded, and the smile in her voice was easy to hear. “And I believe we have a lot in common. I hope I’ll have the support of all the ladies at court if I’m chosen.”

 

Penelope spoke slowly. “To tell you the truth… I think Lady Brianna may the one to be chosen, and I think she’d be a wonderful queen.”

 

“Well,” Madeleine snapped, “I suppose you’re entitled to your opinion. What do you think, Lady Kiara?”

 

“It’s all up to the prince, isn’t it? And I believe he favours Lady Brianna,” Kiara agreed.  
  
Brianna hid a smile behind her glass as she sipped. There was an uncomfortable pause before Madeleine spoke again.

 

“That’s disappointing to hear, but not entirely surprising. We’ll see how things turn out.”

  
With a little huff, Brianna spun and turned away from the group, nearly running into Tariq.

  
“Oh! Tariq, I apologize.”

  
“It’s nothing. Really, Lady Brianna, it’s always a pleasure to see you,” he spoke smoothly, eyeing her with a gleam in his eye.

 

“Tariq, how’ve you been?”

 

“As splendid as you look, my dear.”

 

“Where’d that come from?” she asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

 

“It came from the deepest recesses of my being. This event can hardly bear a star as bright as yours.

 

“Uh…” Brianna could feel her cheeks flame in embarrassment. “Thanks?”

 

“It fills me with such joy to hear you say that,” Tariq nodded with an impossibly bright smile. She assumed he’d been drinking. A lot. “You know, I have to tell you, after speaking with the other ladies here, I find myself having such an… appreciation for you.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yes. You’re a breath of fresh, New York air.”

 

“That’s an oxymoron,” she chuckled drily. Tariq gave her an odd look. “I mean, I don’t think anyone says that. Fresh New York air.”

 

“The other suitors are absolutely boring,” he said, leaning in closer and dropping his voice. “One only talks about her dogs. One merely sulks. And don’t get me started on Olivia.”

 

Brianna angled her body away. This guy was really starting to piss her off. “Look, the other suitors each have their charms. It’s not fair to categorize them like that.”

 

“Their own charms?” Tariq repeated in disbelief. “If they do, I’ve yet to find them. The other suitors have good breeding, wealth, and manners… but they’re absolutely dull. How disappointing. Wheras with you, Lady Brianna… you grow more interesting every time we speak.

  
“Thanks…” she mumbled, looking around the crowd for Liam. Surely she could weasel herself out of this awkward conversation.

 

“I must, however, take my leave. May you have a fantastic evening.”

 

“Yeah, you too,” Brianna said, watching him walk away. From the other direction, she noticed Maxwell approaching.

 

“There’s our little social star!” he greeted her. “Is that Tariq you were talking to?”

 

“Yeah. He was being super weird though. I guess we’re friends now?” she asked with a shrug.  
  
“Cool. Well, Bertrand and I just got a table. This way…” he motioned, and she followed him to the table. Just as they were settling into their seats, glasses started clinking. Brianna turned to where Liam stood with the king and queen. He was exuding confidence, and his handsome face was illuminated by the flattering low lighting of the evening.

 

“If I may have everyone’s attention, please,” he called out. “I’d like to say a few words before we close this evening. First, I’d like to thank all of you for joining us here at the country estate. I’ve had the honour and privilege to have you in my court, and I couldn’t have asked for better company. As I step into my father’s place in a few days, I can only hope that I’m half the man he’s been for Cordonia.”

  
Maxwell started clapping, and the crowd joined in. “Long live Prince Liam!” Maxwell called, lifting a glass of champagne and downing it.

  
“Thank you all. When we next meet like this, it’ll be the last event of the social season. As per tradition, this event will be hosted at the illustrious Beaumont House.”

Once more the crowd erupted into applause, and Brianna clapped slowly, looking to Maxwell who was cupping his hands around his mouth and shouting in a weird singing voice.  
  
“Yeaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!”

 

“An honour, to be sure,” Bertrand said, his face lighting up.

 

“Uhm, Maxwell? Does he mean us?” she asked stupidly.

 

“Aw, you said ‘us’!” he cooed. “You really do think of yourself as part of our house!”

 

“Well… yeah,” Brianna said slowly, grinning. “’Course I do. But… aren’t we a little… er… strapped for funds? Can we afford to host a party right now?”

  
She looked between the brothers, her brows knitted together in worry.  
  
“I’m not sure we have a choice,” Maxwell frowned. “Like Liam said, it’s tradition. We can’t back out.”

 

Bertrand looked visibly agitated as he shifted in his seat. “Yes. If we back out, we might as well announce in the daily paper that we’re officially ruined.”  
  
“Got it,” she said over the sound of the applause dying down.

 

Prince Liam nodded. “The Beaumonts will surely give us another legendary night to remember. Until then, I thank you again, and wish you a good night.” Liam raised his glass, and many members of the audience did the same, including Brianna.

 

“Cheers!” he called out.

 

Brianna raised her glass high as she shouted back, “Cheers!”

 

They drank and ate supper, and Brianna was pleasantly surprised to find Betrand in a good mood. She was feeling just a little buzzed as she headed back to her room, anticipating a good, long sleep for once. As she slipped out of her dress and boots, she heard someone open and close her door.

 

She shrieked, turning to face her intruder, caught in just her black lacy bra and panties.

 

“Good lord!” Tariq exclaimed, looking around. “Brianna! Disrobing in my room… what a forward gesture.”

  
“ _Your_ room?” Brianna folded her arms in front of her, trying to cover her chest. “But…”  
  
“Please, don’t misunderstand. I’m not upset. I’m just surprised. I suspected, but I never thought this would happen so soon…”

 

“No, Tariq, wait…” she stepped back, frowning. She held her hands in front of her, and he captured one, placing it over his heart.

 

“No, I must say this! Your feelings are more ardently returned. You’ve thoroughly enchanted me, just as you enchant everyone you come across… and now I know you feel the same way about me.”

 

It wasn’t often that Brianna could say she was speechless. She was sure her face was twisted in surprise, but either Tariq didn’t notice or he didn’t understand the true meaning.

 

“Tariq…” she let out a little sigh, and he closed the distance quickly, pressing his lips to hers briefly. Brianna moved her hands to his chest, pushing him away as the door opened once more.  
  
“Get away from her.”

The voice was deep and husky. Brianna knew it was Drake without even having to look. Drake moved to Tariq quickly, grabbing him by the shoulder and pulling him away from Brianna.

 

“Unhand me!” Tariq yelped, squirming against Drake’s grip. “How dare you enter my room without my permission!”

 

Without warning, Tariq punched Drake across the face. He reeled back for a split second, then with an unbridled anger, tackled Tariq to the floor. Brianna stepped back, leaning down to try and reason with them, but they were grappling with each other too intensely to hear anything else. Finally, they rolled apart and Tariq sprang to his feet.

  
“Who the hell do you think you are bursting into my room?” he snapped at Drake.  
  
“This is _Brianna’s_ room. And I heard a scream. I think she wanted interrupting,” Drake shot back, his eyes dark with intensity.

  
“Tariq deserves to have his ass kicked,” she snarled. “You can’t just do shit like that.”

 

“So… this isn’t to be the bold, romantic beginning to our love story?” Tariq asked, his face falling.

  
“No.”

  
“But… I’d heard…”

  
“You heard wrong. And for the record, before you try to kiss someone, _ask_ first!” Brianna huffed, feeling her anger start to dissipate. It seemed like Tariq genuinely was extremely misinformed and stupid.

  
“Let me deeply apologize here,” Tariq said, looking down. “I’m so sorry for this transgression. I was incredibly wrong. Now, before I can humiliate myself any father… let me take my leave.” Tariq moved out to the hall quickly, as soon as he left the room, Drake slammed the door shut.

 

“Drake…” she began softly, shaking her head. Her hair fell around her bare arms. “Thank you.”

  
“Aw, shucks, Richardson. Don’t go getting soft on me now.”

 

“I mean it.” Brianna stepped toward him, hesitating. That damned electricity was running in the air again. “You were there when I needed you.”

  
“I’ll always be here for you,” he said, meeting her gaze intensely. Every time she’d want to duck her head down, to break their gaze, he held her steady as if it was a challenge.  “I mean, for Liam’s sake…. Of course. Liam would never forgive me if something… bad… happened to you.”

 

Brianna frowned, and Drake shook his head in response. “And you know what? I’d never forgive myself, either,” he admitted. She felt her cheeks grow hot at his words, and she

saw his eyes linger on her.

 

“Er, Richardson…”

 

“What?”

 

Drake motioned to her, and she realized she was still in her underwear.

  
“Fuck.” She quickly grabbed her dress from the day and tugged it back on as Drake spoke.  
  
“Anyway, you can see why it looks bad. I heard a scream, saw you half naked with Tariq all over you…” he shrugged.

  
“Yeah. I get it.”

 

“Are you okay?”  
  
“I’ll be fine,” she nodded. There was so much she wanted to say, but she couldn’t risk opening her mouth and letting it all spill out.  
  
“Well, I should get out of here before we _really_ cause a scandal,” he chuckled, but he winced at the movement.

  
“You’re hurt,” she whispered, stepping closer to him with a troubled expression.

 

“Nothing a few shots of whisky won’t fix.”

 

“Let me take a look,” Brianna patted the bed for him to have a seat, “it’s the least I can do.”

 

“You’re trying to get me to take my shirt off, Richardson?”

  
Brianna let the silence grow between them, her eyes dancing across his rough face. “I just want to help.”

 

“I’m fine. Save your fussing for someone else.”

  
She sighed and moved in front of the door. “Drake, you got hurt for me. I’m not letting you leave this room until you let me take a look at you! You can start by taking off your shirt.”

  
Drake arched a brow, his lips twitching.

  
“I think he hit your ribs pretty hard,” she explained.

 

He continued to stare and she rolled her eyes.

 

“They could be broken, Drake!”

 

Drake crossed his arms, looking down at her. “Wow. You’ve got a real bossy side to you, you know that?”

 

“You think I’m being bossy? Give me three seconds and I’ll take that shirt off you myself.”

  
“Hey...” he started, but she reached for his white t-shirt and pulled it off him, setting it gently on the bed. Her breath was caught in her throat as his woodsy scent enveloped her and his muscular body seemed to ripple in the low light.

 

“So, doctor, do you see anything alarming?” he asked. Tenderly, she reached out to his ribs, prodding them gently and watching his face. Her hands moved to his back, and she frowned.

  
“You’re going to have a few spectacular bruises…”

 

“Yeah, Tariq hits harder than you’d think. He almost impressed me.”

Brianna let her fingers rest on his ribs, avoiding his gaze.  
  
“What is it?” he asked.  
  
“I can’t believe you got hurt because of me. It’s all my fault.” Her chin quivered pathetically, threatening tears. Brianna moved her hand off Drake’s skin to rub at her forehead nervously.

 

“No,” he corrected angrily, “I got hurt because of Tariq. Nothing that happened tonight was your fault. Don’t ever let yourself think like that, okay, Richardson?”

 

Brianna knew she shouldn’t think it, but _fuck_ was Drake attractive when he was passionate. He caught her staring and ran his hand through his hair, leaving it ruffled.  
  
“You can be so…” he trailed off. “Never mind. Hey, weren’t you supposed to be tending to my wounds?”

 

“Oh!” Brianna let out a little gasp. “Right. I think one of the servants fills this bucket with ice every night You know, just in case I need to chill some champagne.”  
  
She rolled her eyes at him, searching for the bucket as Drake laughed. “Or ice down a friend’s bruises,” he suggested.

  
“Exactly.”

  
“And it looks like someone’s left a fully stocked liquor cabinet in the corner here, so…” Drake lifted up a bottle of whisky from a cabinet in the corner of the room, looking at her questioningly. Brianna wrapped the ice in a cloth, thinking. Having a drink might help her get the courage to ask him about the songs.

  
“I wouldn’t make you drink alone,” she said finally.

  
“Heh. Thanks.”  
  
He handed her a glass and downed his own as she pressed the cloth with ice to his bruises. “Hey!” he said in an exhale of breath, “that hurts.”

 

“Sorry.” She dabbed at his skin gently. “Is that better?”  
  
“…Actually, yeah. Didn’t realize you could be so gentle, Richardson.”

 

She looked to him, waiting to catch his sarcastic grin, but he was smiling softly.

  
“I’ve got a gentle side… you just don’t see it very often.”

  
“I could stand to see more of it.”  
  
They caught each other’s eye, and Brianna held his gaze until he looked away.  
  
“Thank you,” he said, pouring himself more whisky. She held out her now empty glass, and he refilled her too. “I know I don’t act very grateful for anything most of the time but I do… I do care about you.”

 

“I care about you too,” she replied softly, setting the cloth aside.  
  
“You…” his brows shot up in surprise, and he watched her carefully. “You do?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“You shouldn’t say things like that, Richardson,” he said, shifting away from her and sipping at his whisky.

 

“Why not?” Brianna watched him closely. She knew damn well why not, but she couldn’t help herself.

 

“You’re here for Prince Liam. All of the suitors are. And, well, so is the entire court. All of the nobles. All of the servants, even. Everything and everyone in this place exists to orbit around Liam,” Drake said, his eyes narrowing slightly. “You could almost hate him for it, if he weren’t so damned likeable.”

 

Brianna nodded slowly, and he drained his glass, tracing a pattern against the side of the cup. “It’s dangerous for people like you and me to forget that,” he finished.

 

“What are you getting at, Drake?” Her heart was pounding, and her mouth felt dry. She lifted the cup to her mouth, letting the whisky burn her throat on the way down.

  
“Hell, Richardson.” Drake looked to her, his face pained. She wanted to reassure him, to say something, but she needed him to tell her. She needed to understand. “Don’t make me say it.”

  
He broke off, staring into his whisky for a long time before finishing off the glass with a gulp. “If we’d met somewhere else… anywhere else. At a club in New York, or in an airport, or at a party… If you hadn’t been our waitress that night, and I hadn’t been sitting next to Liam…”

 

Drake met her eyes, his expression unreadable. She felt frozen. “Do you think all of this… do you think it could have been different… between us?”

 

“Drake, it would have been different,” she replied quickly, her voice strained.  “Sure, you would’ve still been gruff and I wouldn’t have let you get away with anything…”

 

He gave her a dry, forced laugh.

  
“But all the rest? Yeah, it would’ve been different. Maybe… maybe _everything_ would have been different,” she finished softly.

  
“Brianna…” Drake reached out and brushed his fingers against the back of her hand, the feeling raising the hairs on her arm. As if she’d burned him, he yanked his hand back.

 

“What am I doing? I need to go.” He stood quickly, grabbing his shirt, and moving to the door. Brianna let herself give in to instinct, and she wrapped her arms around him. His skin was hot and smooth, and his smell was intoxicating as she took in a deep breath, resting her cheek against the bare skin of his back.  
  
“Richardson… you shouldn’t.”

  
“Don’t you get tired of being so careful all the time?”  
  
“Constantly.”  
  
His voice was so deep and rough, it sent a shiver down her spine. Quickly, he turned around and pulled her close to his chest, letting his fingers tangle in her long hair. She could feel his chest expand as he took in a deep breath, and she felt dizzy with their proximity. _Finally_. She wanted to reach up, to pull him down, and kiss him until she was breathless.

  
And he pushed her away. Gently, but still. She looked at him, the confusion etched on her face. She needed him now.  
  
“I’ve got to get out of here. Now. Before I do something we might both regret,” he said shortly, and she held out a hand.

  
“No. You don’t get to do this, Drake. You can’t just… tell me you don’t want me in the wine cellar and then…” she fumbled, looking for the words. “The songs. Jesus, the _songs_ Drake! Do you have any idea how they make me…”

  
Brianna shook her head in exasperation. He was watching her, like he always did, and his face was serious.  
  
“I never said I didn’t want you.”  
  
“What?”

  
“In the wine cellar. I never said that. I said nothing could happen.”

 

Her legs felt weak. This whole time, had she misheard him in her buzzed state? Drake’s eyes seemed to flicker in the low lighting, and she felt her breath catch in her throat. Her body ached in a way she didn’t fully comprehend—more than anything she wanted to embrace him again, just to be close to him.  
  
“The songs…” Drake continued, looking ashamed. “When you said you missed music, I just thought... I thought you’d like them.”

  
“You can’t just say it?” she asked him, her voice trembling a little. She hated how weak she sounded, but she was terrified. “Drake, those songs, you picked each of them out. You knew I’d love them. You’re using them to tell me how you feel because you can’t do it now!”

 

She broke off, breathing hard, tears in her eyes. “You say you care about me, but then you… you just turn to leave? That doesn’t mean anything?”

 

“It means everything,” Drake replied, running a hand through his hair again. His eyes were shining, and she felt her heart squeeze at the sight. “But Liam’s my best friend. You’re here for him. I don’t know what to do here, Brianna. I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

 

She was being unfair. She knew it. What had she really been wanting, for him to pull her into his arms and kiss her? No. They were adults, and this situation was real. The silence between them in this moment carried the weight of all the things they wanted to say. Now that she knew he felt the same… she’d have to just get over it.

 

Brianna straightened her posture, and sighed softly as she let her eyes run over her face, tracing every detail. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

  
“Me too, Richardson.” Pause. Okay, long pause. “You have no idea, but I need to leave. Before this… before this turns into something.”  
  
Brianna frowned. There was nothing he would do that she would regret, but she settled on a simple, “Okay.” He pulled his shirt on and pushed open the door.  
  
“And for all our sakes, lock your door this time…” he grumbled, resting his hand on her door knob. “Huh.”  
  
“What is it?”

 

Drake examined her door with a mixture of curiosity, and then confusion. He turned to her, his face scrunched. “Richardson… there’s no lock on your door handle.”

 

“I thought they were all like that?”

 

“No.” Drake jiggled the door handle experimentally. “All of the other rooms on this floor lock. It’s probably nothing.”

  
“Probably?” she said, her lips tugging into a confused frown.

 

“Just…” he searched her face, his features softening. “Be careful, okay?”

 

They stared at each other for a long minutes before he left. She flopped onto the bed, letting out a long breath. She was feeling warm from the whisky, but so confused. Her feelings for Drake were real, and he felt the same. He always had. She hadn’t understood him, and he’d been trying to tell her in his own cheesy, unpredictably romantic way. Drake had remembered her saying she missed normal things, like music, and decided to use songs to try and talk to her.

  
Brianna wiped a lone tear from her cheek and pulled the covers over her head for a warped sense of privacy. Why did this have to happen like this? She was being unfair to Liam, since there were some feelings there, too, and she had been prepping herself for a future with him. Some part of her had convinced herself that the flirtation with Drake was harmless, but she realized that had been a lie and she’d always known that.

  
She sat up after a few minutes, unwilling to sleep just yet. At the desk in her room, she scratched a note into a piece of paper, slipped into the hall, and shoved it under Drake’s door for him to read in the morning.

 

 _No Regrets – MAGIC!_  
  
Feeling satisfied, she slipped into her pajamas and fell into bed, her racing mind finally allowing her to sleep. Drake would either respond or he wouldn’t, and that would give her the answer she needed.

 

* * *

 

The next morning, she was sitting down at the vanity after her morning jog, her hair still damp from her shower, when the Beaumont brothers knocked on her door.

“I hope you’re already packed. We’re running late as it is,” Bertrand snapped.

“Late for what?” she asked, dabbing moisturizer onto her skin. Her face was a little puffy from crying last night, but she wasn’t going to dwell on it. The ball was in his court now, so to say. “I thought we’re just travelling today.”

  
“We need to make it home to begin preparations,” Bertrand explained with a huff.

  
Maxwell pumped his fist, singing, “For the party of the yeeeeeeeear!” Bertrand sighed, and Maxwell stuck his tongue out in response. “Bree, nothing you’ve seen so far will even come close. I hope you’re ready to handle a Beaumont Bash!”

“And even more importantly, _this_ time you’ll have all of the advantages of hosting the royal court,” Bertrand added.

  
“Tell me more…” she said, turning around on her stool.

 

“You’ll be able to set the seating arrangements, have first claim on the prince, and dictate the rules of the evening,” he explained patiently, and Brianna grinned at Maxwell in response.

 

“Now I really can’t wait!” she said, tugging her hair up into a ponytail. This was it, she could feel it. She’d finally be able to address everything, head on, and finally be able to call the shots for once. Brianna grabbed her suitcase and started packing up.

 

Bring. It. On.

 

* * *

* * *

 


	15. Chapter Fifteen: One Kiss is Kindling, Two Kisses are Kerosene

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Beaumont Brothers (and Brianna) prep the house for the best party ever, Brianna’s feelings grow more convoluted and tangled than ever.
> 
> **NSFW: Language, Light Sexual Content **

* * *

* * *

 

As Brianna packed her bag, she hummed to herself. Although she was a little embarrassed to admit it, after the brothers left her room, she popped down the hall to see if Drake was there. He’d already left, but her note was gone with him. There wasn’t much left for her to do, so she went to packing and getting ready to travel to the Beaumont estate. _  
  
_ Brianna got dressed into casual clothes, a pair of faded jeans, sneakers, and a pink tank top. She folded up her old clothes into the suitcase, enjoying the feeling of getting to wear her informal jeans all day. Although part of her felt lighter after slipping the song under Drake’s door, she had to admit part of her felt bad. This situation wasn’t what either of them wanted, but she couldn’t help how she felt. It wouldn’t have mattered if they didn’t have last night, but since that had happened, she couldn’t just pretend that they didn’t talk about their feelings, and that those truths hadn’t surfaced. It did feel a little weird to wake up and not have a note from him, but she wasn’t surprised. She’d basically told him to stop.  
  
She hope that her note to him, her song, would resonate with him. She was trying to do exactly what he’d attempted, to convey what she felt. _  
  
_ No regrets. Brianna smiled to herself as she lugged her suitcase downstairs, stepping into the crisp morning air. The brothers were waiting in the limo already, and Maxwell bounced out to help move her suitcase to the trunk. She accepted his help gratefully, and when she slid across the leather seats, Bertrand gave her a curt little nod. If this happened, if Drake indicated he wanted to… well, she wasn’t really sure what she had propositioned him with exactly, but if he agreed, she’d be devastated at letting the brothers down.  
  
That thought would have to wait, she couldn’t dwell on it now and cry even more. For now, she’d just do her best to reconcile these two pieces of herself that didn’t seem to connect. One part of Brianna was smitten with a man she shouldn’t have, the man she wanted. Her other side, arguably the more rational side of her, was slowly falling for the handsome, charming, stable prince… perhaps the man she needed.

 

* * *

 

As the limo started moving, Maxwell leaned back into the seat and sighed happily. “I, for one, thought Brianna’s performance at the Applewood events were spectacular.”

 

“Being Apple Queen was a hard task,” she agreed gravely, “but I tried to be a fair and just ruler.”

 

“She did fine,” Bertrand allowed.

 

“Thanks!” Brianna replied with a dazzling grin. She had almost learned how to speak Bertrand fluently, and that was as close to a compliment as she’d get. “Hey, did I miss anything at the country jamboree while I was with Liam? There was a lot going on…”

 

Maxwell shrugged dramatically, holding up his hands as if to say, ‘who knows?’ “Not really. It was par for the course… lots of gossiping, lots of mingling, someone got hit with a racket during the badminton tournament… The usual, really.”

  
“Is that the usual?” she asked in alarm.

  
“Oh!” Maxwell smacked his forehead, “How could I forget? The real big news was that a reporter managed to sneak onto estate grounds… you hardly ever get someone who can do that.”

 

Brianna felt a little shiver run up her spine at the thought. It made her feel uneasy, but she couldn’t really explain why. She looked to Bertrand, gauging his reaction, and felt relieved when he look characteristically unruffled.

 

“Yes, but she was quickly caught and ejected. She should’ve known better than to come to a private event.” Bertrand looked like he might’ve rolled his eyes, but instead he huffed ‘honestly’ under his breath. “Now, enough reminiscing. I cannot stress enough the importance of our upcoming fete. The Beaumont Bash is the final event before the coronation, and expectations couldn’t be higher.”

 

“Which means we have to throw the best paaaaaarrrrrrtyyyyyyy,” Maxwell sang, his eyebrows wiggling quickly.

 

“The very reputation of House Beaumont is on the line,” Bertrand nodded. She was caught off guard to see that he didn’t disagree with his brother.

 

“And remember, just like Olivia had the advantage when she hosted the royal court, now _we’ll_ have the upper hand!” Maxwell announced proudly.

  
Bertrand narrowed his eyes to Brianna, though she didn’t feel any hostility coming from him. Instead it felt like an honest appraisal, or a sort of assessment. “Are you prepared, Brianna?”

 

“Honestly?” she asked, looking between the two of them. How could she do anything but try her best to charm Prince Liam and be the perfect host? Every second she spent with the brothers made her realize why Drake was so hesitant to commit to anything, why he sent her songs instead of speaking his own feelings. This was… a lot.

 

“I won’t let us down,” she said finally, her eyes shimmering with emotion. She was resolved in her decision. Brianna couldn’t do anything less than give her absolute best and give Liam the honest chance he deserved. There were feelings there, and she owed it to everyone to explore them and let them develop without any outside distractions.

 

“I suppose that clichéd assertion is the only thing I can rely on…” Bertrand sighed.

  
“Don’t start with me today,” she snapped at him, crossing her arms roughly. Although she knew he didn’t realize the magnitude of her words, it still stung. Maxwell slid across his seat to look out the window, and he let out an excited yelp.

  
“Hey, we’re home!”

 

The limo rolled to a stop, and when Brianna stepped out she exhaled slowly. The manor was gorgeous and sprawling, edged by vineyards and a stunning rustic patio.

  
“Wow… this is some fine real estate,” she complimented, and Bertrand looked back to her with a proud grin.

 

“It’s beautiful in all its splendor.”

 

Maxwell bounded over to an outdoor sectional in front of a fireplace and flopped down. “Ahhhhhh, the cushion still remembers my shape.”

 

“It’s cozy… but it also feels empty for a noble’s estate. Shouldn’t there be, you know, people?” she asked delicately as her fingers traced an empty bar.

 

“To cut costs, the house staff isn’t scheduled until tomorrow, but the caterers and cleaning crew from the event planning company should’ve been here by now,” Bertrand explained, scoffing in frustration.  
  
“It’s a big place,” Maxwell waved off his brother’s concern, “you gotta shout to reach them.” He cleared her throat and bellowed, “Helloooooooooooooo! We’re hooooooome!”

 

The silence stretched on, and Brianna threw back her head and followed Maxwell’s lead, shouting, “Heeeeeeeeellllllllooooooooooooo! Future queen of Cordonia here! I’ll make all your dreams come truuuuuueeeeeee!”

 

Her call echoed through the empty halls as she collapsed next to Maxwell in a fit of giggles.  
  
“Something isn’t right,” Bertrand said, stepping into the house. He moved around, open and closing drawers and shuffling paper. He stepped out back onto the porch, holding a note that he was unfolding.  
  
“What?!” he yelled after scanning the note, crumpling it up in anger. “They backed out of the event!”

 

“Huh? Why would they do that?” Maxwell asked, scrambling to sit up in the sea of cushions he had arranged for himself.  
  
Bertrand cleared his throat awkwardly. “It appears… there was a… oh… a paperwork issue. A logistical hiccup, it seems. And rather than wait for our arrival, they cancelled. This is going to be a disaster…”

 

“Well, there’s got to be something we can do,” she said to the brothers, looking at each of them. “This isn’t the first time the crew we hired hasn’t shown up.”

 

“Don’t remind me…” Bertrand snapped, his voice deep with anger.

 

“I’m just saying we can pull through if we work together,” she countered, levelling him with a gaze. Surprisingly, he relented after a moment.

 

“I suppose you’re right. There’s no alternative except to cover for this mess before the entire royal court arrives tomorrow. Maxwell, call in ever favour you can. We next extra hands to clean the estate. I’ll see what I can do about getting the flowers and furnishing for the ballroom…”

 

“Right!” Maxwell flashed a thumbs up.  
  
“Lady Brianna.”

 

“Yes, Bertrand?”

 

“The kitchen should be fully stoked. We’re going to be feeding a lot of mouth tomorrow, so anything you can prepare in advance will be valuable. Maxwell will help you when he can.” Bertrand was totally in command and in his element.  
  
“Team, break!” Maxwell called, and they broke off into different directions, each person inspired to succeed despite the odds.

 

* * *

 

  
Down in the kitchen, Brianna stood at the helm of a ridiculously large pantry. It looked like the kind of pantry she’d see on cooking shows where you can walk in and there were little aisles of food. Despite the sleek shelving units, both the amount of food and the usability of the ingredients were poor. Brianna pawed through caviar, squid ink, and truffles before letting out a frustrated noise.

 

Behind her, Maxwell sauntered in. “Calls have been made, so now I can concentrate on food. Any culinary ideas?”

 

“All of this stuff looks fancy, and… I have no idea what to do with any of it.”

 

“The fancier the stuff, the less you have to do! Just dump it on a plate and call it ‘deconstructed’!” he suggested with a chipper attitude.

 

“Oh my gosh… you’re a _genius_.”  
  
“I know,” his grin was huge. “I’ll grab the caviar and some other stuff to go with it. You get some fancy serving spoons!”

 

With a renewed energy, Brianna turned back to search the kitchen. Over her shoulder, she called to Maxwell. “Listen, I’m sorry the helpers bailed… I can’t believe this happened again.”

 

She could hear the frown in Maxwell’s response when he said he couldn’t believe it either. “Bertrand told me he had everything covered and not to ask any questions. But I’m sure this is somehow my fault.”

  
“Awww, Maxwell. You shouldn’t take the blame for everything. Bertrand is at least as much to blame, if not more so, than you.”

 

“He knows that.” Maxwell sighed softly, and she could see the concern etched on his face. “He’s even harder on himself.”

 

“That’s not an excuse for him to berate you. Stand up to him. Trust me. I know it’s really scary, but it’s so worth it.”

 

“It’s not that simple.”

 

“It never i—”

 

“Look,” Maxwell cut her off, smiling at her sadly, “I appreciate your concern over my relationship with Bertrand… but it’s nothing I can’t handle.”

 

“You sure? I’m here if you ever need to talk. I might understand more than you think…” she said gently.

 

“Thanks, but we should focus on these appetizers. We’ve got _party_ to prepare.”

 

“Of course!” she laughed, following him to the stove and counter space. Together they laid out an assortment of ingredients next to some plates.

 

“Here, put a little caviar on the spoon, then a little sprig of garnish, and finish with a dash of paprika!” he announced with confidence.

 

“Does paprika go well with caviar?” Brianna asked, wrinkling her nose at the thought. Not that she even like caviar anyway, but it didn’t sound like a good combination.

 

“It’ll be a novelty…” he conceded.

 

“Then here’s to culinary experimentation!” she shouted, slapping his hand in a high five. Together they worked to spoon caviar onto little plates with crackers on the side, dashing paprika on the top as they moved.

 

“Hey, by the way…” Brianna began, sprinkling paprika over a finished plate. “Where are these friends you called?”

 

“Oh, you know, all of them said they were busy, or they couldn’t make it, or that something came up.” Maxwell frowned and his brow creased in thought. “I couldn’t even get a hold of Tariq… not that he’d even know which end of a broom to hold.”

 

Brianna watched him as his face brightened. “But don’t worry! We can do it together!” he said happily, his face falling again. “…Probably.”

 

“Teamwork makes the dream work. We will make it happen!”

  
“Ohhh, that could be our new house motto!” he said excitedly, and Brianna laughed.

  
“What’s your house motto now?”

 

“I think something about vendettas and giant squid.”

 

“Squid?”

 

“We use to be sea-faring people,” he explained with a nod. The door to the kitchen creaked open, and they both looked up.

  
“Hello? Anyone in here?” Drake asked, poking around the corner and moving into the kitchen.

 

“Drake!” Brianna exclaimed, feeling her heart thud against her chest at the sight of him and her cheeks flush. _Obvious, much?_

 

Maxwell jumped in the air and pumped his fist in boundless enthusiasm. “Drake! Drake! Drake! You came!”

 

“Yeah, yeah. Calm down, it’s not that big of a deal,” he waved Maxwell off, but she could see there was a gleam of something in his hazel eyes. Had he seen the note? Did it matter?

 

“Yes, it is!” Maxwell insisted. “We _are_ friends!”

 

“You promised me whisky.”

 

“Friendship whisky!” Maxwell corrected with a grin.

  
“Drake, you made it,” she smiled at him weakly.

 

“Yeah, yeah. Behold your knight in shining armour,” he said ironically, motioning to his casual outfit.  “Alright. Enough gushing. I’m here now. What needs to be done?”

 

“Brianna and I are plating some fancy appetizers. Come join us…”

 

Drake eyed the assembly line they had created and took a place next to Maxwell and began spooning caviar onto plates. The work was pretty dull, but Maxwell kept up a steady stream of conversation. There was a dynamic between Brianna and Drake, something unspoken, that made her understand he’d gotten her note… she just didn’t have an answer yet. Finally, they finished prepping the food and they had rows of caviar and paprika lining the counters.

 

Maxwell stepped back and sighed happily. “Oooh, these are shaping up! I think we need a good name for these guys though. Maybe ‘Jewels of the Sea’?”

 

“Why not name it ‘Stuffy Rich Person Food’?” she suggested tonelessly, and Drake gave an appreciative laugh. “Or ‘The Bud of Paradise’, maybe?”

 

“Ugh, I feel pretentious just hearing that name,” Drake scowled.

 

“That means it’s perfect,” she said, grinning at him. Maxwell nodded.

 

“I can already picture them complimenting the delicious ‘Buds of Paradise’.”

 

They loaded up the appetizers into one of the fridges and tidied up the kitchen. There was a buzz in the air, the satisfaction of being productive and getting a task completed.  
  
“There, that should be enough to get us started. Now then, on to the main course!” Maxwell announced with a flourish of his hands.  
  
“Do you even know how to cook from scratch?” Drake asked.

  
“Well…” he held up a finger, grabbing his vibrating phone. “Oh, thank heavens. Bertrand found another company to handle the main courses. Let me tell you, nobody would have wanted the science experiments I was about to produce.”

 

“Dodged a bullet there,” Drake agreed.

  
“What’s next on the ‘Were in Panic Mode’ list” she asked brightly. Maxwell looked around the kitchen curiously.

  
“Hmmm… I should stay here and clean the kitchen, but Bertrand might need help in the main hall. Last I saw him, he was looking for cleaning supplies…” Maxwell suggested.

 

“Oh boy,” Brianna snorted in laughter at the image of Bertrand mopping floors.

 

“I’ll stay here and help Maxwell,” Drake volunteered. “We’ll come find you once we finish down here.” Brianna nodded in agreement and left the room, dissecting every word of her conversation with him. As she came upstairs, she spotted Bertrand at the base of the stars, scrubbing at the tile on his hands and knees.  
  
“Uh, Bertrand?” she cleared her throat hesitantly.  
  
“What?”

 

“Well... I was sent here to help you,” she said. How badly Brianna wanted to make some glib comment about him doing physical work, especially chores, but she sense now was not the time. “So, if you need anything, let me know!”

 

“It’s fine,” he replied quickly. “I have it under control.”

 

“Bertrand, just let me help you.”

 

“Oh…” he exclaimed softy. “If you’re going to insist, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt. Remember to get in between the tiles.”

  
Brianna dropped down, wringing out the sponge and set to work beside Bertrand. It was very quiet, but she had to admit not having to make small talk was a blessing. After a while, Bertrand stopped working and came over to the stairs where she was scrubbing.

  
“Not bad. I suppose I owe you my…” he paused, allowing a smile to warm his face, “my thanks.”

  
“Glad I could help,” Brianna shot him a grin. “You know, I’ve done a fair amount of cleaning in my life.”

 

Bertrand nodded. “Now, we should find Maxwell before he’s left unattended for too long.”

 

“Good idea,” she laughed, but as he helped her up, Maxwell rounded the corner.

  
“Whew, that was quite the ordeal. I hope it’s at least a year before I ever have to clean another kitchen again. Luckily, with Drake, it went fast than I thought,” Maxwell sighed, wiping his forehead.

 

“Speak of the devil,” Bertrand said, motioning to Maxwell, who grinned in response.

  
“I hope that was a reference to my impish charm.”

  
“It wasn’t,” Bertrand snapped.

 

“A man can dream.”

 

“Now that you’re done with the kitchen, we need to do a thorough dusting. Just be careful with our displays. Your help was appreciated, Lady Brianna, but I can finish the floors. Maxwell will need you more. This house needs to be in top condition before guests arrive,” Bertrand explained.

 

Brianna and Maxwell nodded, loading up with dusters. Together they worked around the room, chatting pleasantly. Behind the stairwell, Brianna found several weapons on the wall and let out a low whistle. She reached out and touched a menacing looking spiky ball and withdrew her hand quickly.

 

“Wow. They’re all so… pointy,” she finished lamely.

 

“I see you found our wall of weapons,” Maxwell said behind her, and she turned to him.  
  
“Why are these here?”

 

“These,” he replied with a sweep gesture, “are a selection from our armory! They’re very important to our family and Cordonia’s history. But the best thing about them is that they act as a variety of exciting bottle openers!”

 

“Bottle openers? That’s totally normal,” she agreed flatly, holding in her laughter as she saw Maxwell grow visibly excited. “Why settle for a pedestrian bottle opener when you can get a double-bladed sword?”

 

“You get it! There’s nothing more thrilling than loping the top off of a priceless bottle of wine with a medieval weapon.” Maxwell pulled out his phone and shook it in Brianna’s direction. “Anyway, Bertrand just said he and Drake and working in the ballroom. We’d better go and see if they need help.”

 

Maxwell led her to the ballroom, and she looked around in amazement. It wasn’t as grand as the Cordonian ballroom, but it was just as luxurious. With cream wallpaper, bold columns, lavender silk curtains, stunning rectangle chandeliers, and a dark burgundy carpet, the room was a unique blend of old and modern, sumptuous and fun. Bertrand and Drake were arranging centerpieces and setting the tables.

 

“It’s looking great!” Brianna called out.

  
“Thank you,” Bertrand said. “Maxwell, these tables in the back corner are ready for napkins. Can you help?”

 

“On it!” Maxwell called, grabbing the lilac napkins and running to the back corner.

  
“Lady Brianna, if you could assist Drake?”

 

“Sure!” Brianna replied, nodding. No problem. She moved to the edge of the room where Drake was arranging flowers in a vase. “Why, Drake, I never knew you had suchj a flair with peonies…”

 

“The things I do for you people…” he scoffed, rolling his eyes, but she could hear a fondness in his voice. She picked up a vase and started adding lilacs to it when he stepped close and lowered his voice.

  
“Hey… anything about any of this seem off to you?”

 

“Huh?” she asked, looking at him with her brow furrowed in confusion. Drake nodded toward the other side of the room, and she could hear the brother arguing in hushed tones.

  
Bertrand’s voice was sharp, and it sounded like he was looking for lost money in some account of theirs. Maxwell argued that he didn’t know anything about it, but she could hear Bertrand snap something back about Maxwell causing problems, and she heard ‘idiotic’. Maxwell was getting very defensive, and their voices were raising, but luckily Bertrand ended the conversation before too long, stomping away.   
  
Drake looked back at her with a cocked brow, and she swallowed nervously.  
  
“Well?” he asked. “Doesn’t it seem like something weird is going on?”

 

“It seemed like…” she trailed off for a second, searching her mind frantically. What could she say? “Maybe Maxwell bought me a present?” she suggested playfully.

  
“Really.” Drake shook his head at her. “ _That’s_ what you took from that conversation?”

 

“What? It _could_ happen…” she trailed off weakly, realizing the best excuse she could come up was lame. Although, now that Drake had mentioned it, there was something extra weird about tonight. Of course, she knew House Beaumont was going through financial struggles, but Bertrand had said something about missing money…

 

“In this case, it sounds like more of a hallucination,” he shot back.

 

“It was just a thought.”

 

“I’m just saying, I wouldn’t get my hopes up Richardson. Something suspicious is going on… and I intend to find out what it is. Besides, it sounds like Maxwell might be in over his head this time. I think he really needs my help…” Drake sighed, looking back at where Maxwell was rolling napkins in the corner. “Knowing him, he’d never ask.”

 

Brianna frowned thoughtfully. “I didn’t realize you and Maxwell were that close.”

 

“After all the time I’ve spent with him in the past weeks, I’m starting to find him less annoying.”

 

“High praise,” she chuckled.

 

“Besides, we scrubbed the kitchen cabinets together. I think I’m invested now.”

  
“Sure, marshmallow…”  
  
Drake opened his mouth, but she cut him off. “Actually, Drake… there’s something else we should talk about. About last night…”

 

“Last night?” He looked surprise, and she stared at him in disbelief.  
  
“What you said, about how you feel… the note I left...”

 

Drake sighed, looking over his shoulder. “Brianna, I don’t think we should talk about this here.”

 

“Then somewhere private?” she suggested.

 

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

 

“Why not? No regrets, remember?”

 

“That’s not what I meant by that…” Drake said roughly, his eyes trained carefully on hers.

 

“No, but it’s what I meant in my note.”

 

They stared at each other for a long minute, and she pleaded with him, using her eyes, and his lip twitched.  
  
“Fuck.” Hearing him swear startled her, and she noticed his jaw was clenched. “The way you look at me, sometimes, Richardson…”

 

She reached out and touched his arm gently, loving the way his skin was hot and rough under her fingers. He took in a deep breath of air.

  
“If we’re alone again together, I’m not sure I’ll be able to stop myself from doing something stupid.”

 

“Drake…” she moved closer. Her mouth was moving before she could think about it. “It wouldn’t be stupid—”

 

“Drake! Brianna!” Bertrand yelled—a little unnecessary, given the relative quiet of the ballroom—and they sprang apart.

 

“Eep!” she let out a startled yelp, clearing her throat immediately. “Er, I mean, yes?”

 

“Why are you two standing around chatting like ladies at an afternoon tea? You both said you’d help, so _help_ ,” he sneered, shaking his head at them.

  
“Right away, Duke Ramsford,” Drake countered, his voice low in anger. Brianna hated to admit how sexy she found it.

 

“Yeah. Of course,” she called back, her face crestfallen. She stabbed a rose into the vase angrily, trying to relax into arranging the flowers. After a few minutes, Drake abruptly walked away from his vase. He opened a door at the end of the hallway and slipped inside. Brianna would be willing to bet he was going to try and find information on what was going on with Maxwell and Bertrand. She set her own vase aside and followed Drake’s footsteps, entering a private study. It was all dark leather, weathered books against every wall, and it smelled rich, like leather and whisky. Drake was standing at a bookshelf, and her curiosity was piqued.

  
“Drake, what are you doing back here?” she asked, closing the door quietly behind her.

 

“Richardson!” he turned, his face showing his surprise. It gave way to a lopsided grin. “So, you followed me, huh? This is the Beaumont study.”

 

“How’d you even know this was here?” she asked, running a hand on the mahogany desk, letting her fingers trail against the glossy surface.

  
“I used to come to this house a lot, back in the day. We ran in the same circles, being friends with Liam and all that…” He watched her expression carefully as he spoke. “My sister, Savannah, used to think the Beaumont brothers were the epitome of courtly life. She practically worshipped them.”

 

Brianna could see the pain that registered on Drake’s face as he spoke about his sister. She hoisted herself up onto the desk, sitting on the edge casually. “And you didn’t.”

 

“I found them to be more of an acquired taste,” he admitted, leaning against the built-in bookshelf wall, close enough to her that she could smell his musky, earthy scent. It was dizzying.

 

“You mean they both annoyed the hell out of you.”

 

“Yup,” he laughed. “Pretty much. Whenever I got tired of their antics, I’d sneak off and come here to their study.”

 

“So, you were the life of the party even back then?” she teased.

  
“Ha ha,” he shot back humourlessly. “Whenever Savannah found me here, she would try to get me to join in on the fun. I don’t even know where she is now.”

 

“That must be so difficult,” she said, and he nodded slightly. “You don’t have any way of finding her?”

 

“She stopped answering my calls and deleted all of her social media. Wherever she is… all I know is that she doesn’t _want_ to be found.” He paused. “Even by me.”

 

“Oh, Drake.” Brianna scooted off the desk to stand beside him, and she reached out and gave his arm a little squeeze.  
  
“You know what? I don’t blame her. I failed her. I don’t even know how, but I know that I failed her.” Brianna took in a shaky breath, ready to defend Drake to himself, but he continued. “I didn’t protect her from… from whatever it was that made her leave.”

 

“I know you, and I know you probably did everything you could. Maybe she just needs to deal with this on her own,” Brianna suggested softly, and his eyes flashed in a quiet agreement.

  
“Maybe. I’ve spent hours trying to figure out if I could’ve done something different… if I could have done _more._ I can give her space, but she’s my little sister… I helped her learn how to tie her shoes. It kills me to think there’s something she didn’t think she could trust me with.”

 

She wanted so badly to wrap him in her arms, to kiss him, to soothe him. Seeing him pained like this was heartbreaking. “Do you have any idea what it was about?”

 

“She was so happy… and then one day, after one of these Beaumont parties, she wasn’t. She locked herself in her room, and I could hear her crying. A couple of days later, all of her things were packed, and she was just… gone.”

 

“Drake, that must have been so hard for you. I’m sorry.”

 

He looked at her, and she could see he was caught off guard. “Me? I guess.” A moment passed, and he shrugged. “But… that’s enough about that…”

 

“You know Drake… I’ve been in a spot that sounds kind of similar. I fell in love with someone who I thought loved me, but he just loved the idea of me. He tried to change everything about me after I trusted him. He was so… emotionally abusive, and I was too stupid to realize it until it was too late.” She wiped a tear from her eye roughly. “I wish I had someone like you in my life when I was going through that.”

  
Drake looked at her, and a silence fell between them. “Me too,” he managed. He moved to the far side of the room, and she let her gaze roam across the study freely.

  
“So, this is the Beaumont’s study… are we even allowed back here?”  
  
“They never lock the door, so I guess they don’t care that much about who comes in. Besides, the point of this room is more to show off,” he said, gesturing to the walls. They were lined with ribbons and medals. “As you can see, the Beaumont family has a lot to brag about.”

  
She let her eyes wander to the lit display case. She stepped closer to examine the contents. There was a set of gleaming trophies and framed pictured of the a young Bertrand and Maxwell, both on horseback.  
  
“I guess Bertrand and Maxwell has a habit of winning,” she commented to herself, but Drake nodded and let out a sort of scoffing noise as he stood beside her.

 

“A family tradition.”

 

“I can see why Bertrand’s always so worried about upholding the Beaumont name,” she conceded, motioning to the impressive trophies.

 

“Their house goes back a long way. I could never pity a rich kid like Bertrand, but I cam very close to it sometimes. He’s got a lot of pressure on him. I think his parents gave him a lot of talks about his heritage and Cordonia, and it’s not like Maxwell’s much help with anything.”

 

“Maxwell tries,” Brianna defended quickly. Drake looked sideways at her. “Sometimes,” she added.  
  
“Heh. Maxwell’s always been more interested in having fun. He couldn’t care less about prestige and honour.”

 

“I thought you’d appreciate that, Drake.”

 

“It is one of the things I like about him, actually…” he trailed off for a moment, his eyes lingering on her until he quickly looked away.  
  
“Drake… we need to talk about us.”

 

“There is no us.” His reply was quick, so quick it startled her, but when she looked at him, he was frowning, and his eyes were sad.

  
“I don’t think you mean that,” she said, turning to face him fully. “I mean, what about last night?”

  
“Hell, Richardson, what is there to say?”

  
“Don’t you think we should talk about it? I mean, you said you didn’t want to do anything we’d regret. I thought about it, and the song…” she faltered, looking to him. “You send me those damn songs and pretend it’s nothing, you ignore what I sent you…”

 

“I’ve been an idiot. I should have never done that. I wish I’d never said anything.”

 

“Drake…”

  
“The truth is that my best friend is head over heels for you. So it doesn’t really matter how I feel,” he gave her the saddest smile she’d ever seen. “Because that’s where it has to end. Liam is the only one who’s ever looked out for me. The only one who gave a damn about me after my dad… after he was gone.”

  
Drake’s jaw twitched, and his face hardened in anger. “The rest of the court was ready to cast us out, never mind that he died protecting the royal family.”

  
“Drake… I’m sorry. That’s terrible.”

  
“I didn’t care much, but my mom and Savannah… it would’ve devastated them. Liam made sure we had a place at the palace as long as we wanted one.”

 

“That’s… very thoughtful of him,” she agreed, and his eyes followed hers.  
  
“I could never betray him falling for his girl. So that’s what it all comes down to, Richardson.” There was a moment of thick tension. “Whatever I feel… it doesn’t matter.”

 

“What about how I feel?” she asked softly. His jaw dropped, and he took a little half step back in shock.

  
“How you feel… of course I care how you feel. I just didn’t think…” his face scrunched in thought. “I mean… what are you saying, Richardson?”

 

“I’m saying… I care about both you and Liam,” she began slowly, her heart racing, “but _fuck_ …”  
  
Brianna took in a deep breath and caught Drake’s eye. He watched her, as he always did, giving her a chance to breath and gather her thoughts.

 

“I’d never ask you to choose between us,” he told her, and she could hear something in his voice, see something in his face.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

Drake shrugged, but she could see there was more emotion brewing than what he was letting on. “I just mean… I’m not the possessive type. Hell, I never eve expected you to do anything but laugh in my face when I told you.”

 

“Well… I’m not laughing.” Her voice was breathy, and she realized they had both been leaning in, subconsciously.  
  
“No, you aren’t, are you?” Drake gave a little half chuckle. “Now I’m lost for words ‘cause I never thought this far ahead.”

 

“Drake… I want you.”

 

_I want you so bad it hurts. Sometimes you’re all I think about before I go to sleep._

“Oh, Richardson.” His voice was like a rumble in his chest. “You shouldn’t have said that.”  
  
Drake took a deep, ragged breath, and she could see something in him break, like a wall crumbling down. He moved to her, and she closed the distance easily until they were standing so close she could feel his heat. She couldn’t resist. She rose to her tiptoes and saw the surprise flash in his eyes before she closed hers, trusting her lips to find his. They met, and she pressed herself to him gently for just a moment. Brianna pulled away, her eyes searching his and only finding an unreadable expression.

 

“Richardson…” he began thickly.

 

“Yes?” she whispered, her heart beating frantically. This could have been the mistake, the one she thought about making over and over again, and she could have just solidified everything.

 

A slow grin spread on his face, almost dazed. “I’ve wanted this for so long…”

 

Without hesitation, his arms wrapped around her, pulling her close once more. This time his lips found hers with hunger, and she felt herself ignite in response to his passion. Drake’s hands were running up and down her body, sending jolts of pleasure through Brianna’s every nerve. This was what she had dreamed of for so long, and here she was, finally. Her hands were in his shirt, bunching the fabric up, her tongue darting across his lower lip to nudge his mouth open.

 

Drake obliged, and she moaned against his mouth. She _fucking moaned_. Like a school girl. Brianna was so turned on from just kissing him, feeling herself throb, she couldn’t stand it. Brianna let out a happy little sigh as they moved apart. “Oh, Drake…”

 

He dipped his head down, his lips brushing her ear as he whispered to her, letting his lips linger on her earlobe, “I didn’t think this would ever be more than a fantasy…”

  
“Are you saying that you’ve thought about this before?” she asked breathlessly, her smile teasing as she pulled away a little. His lips were stained with her lip colour and puffy from their fevered kissing. Drake’s hands squeezed her hips gently, his thumb working back and forth against the fabric tenderly.  
  
“More than I’d like to admit.”

With a low groan he bent down, kissing her deeply, desperately, before pulling back again. Her hands fell away from her neck, and she _needed_ to feel him against her again like a craving felt deep in her bones.

 

“What’s wrong?” she asked, her face collapsed in worry. Drake looked equally crestfallen, and he nodded to the door.

  
“Someone could come in here… one of them might come looking for us. We shouldn’t just…” He shook his head. “Even without a drop of whisky, why do I feel drunk when I’m around you, Richardson?”

 

She flushed with pride, or embarrassment, and he frowned. “Don’t smile at me like that. I don’t deserve it. We shouldn’t be doing this. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

  
“Stop,” she told him, and he looked to her, confused. “You have to stop that. We… I get it, Drake, I do, but it’s not like we can pretend this isn’t here. I don’t know what to do either, but… we’ll figure it out.”

 

He nodded slowly, and she brushed his hand with hers gently. “Should we leave?”

  
Drake stared at her for a long minute, looking away finally. “Soon… but we came in here with a mission, didn’t we?”

  
“Something about searching for clues to the Beaumont mystery, I think?” she asked, trying to ignore how husky her voice was.

  
“Right.”  
  
Drake looked down, his hands idly going to the desk at his side. “Whoa!”

  
“What is it?” she asked, moving to the desk.  
  
“If I’m not mistaken, this is a fast envelope full of cash!”

 

“That’s…” Brianna grabbed the envelope, peeking into it. “That’s what that is, all right. But why is it just here in the study?”  
  
“There’s an address on the back… a French address. It looks like someone was going to mail this today.”

 

“Drake… This has got to be the missing money that Bertrand was talking about. We’ve got to take it to Maxwell.”

  
“Really? You want to trust Maxwell Beaumont with an envelope full of cash?”

 

“Let’s just say I trust him more than I trust Bertrand right now,” she said carefully. “I’ll text him to meet us here.” Brianna pulled out her phone, hesitating. She looked up at Drake, leaning in for another kiss.

  
His lips moved against hers slowly, and they pulled away.

 

“ _Don’t let your worries second guess_ ,” she said softly to him, quoting the song she’d slipped under his door. Drake’s eyes flashed in understanding, and he said, barely audibly, “ _We’ll start over fresh, living life a life with no regrets_.”

 

Brianna sent a text to Maxwell and within the minute, he popped into the study.

  
“What’s up, Bree? Your text sounded serious.”

  
“This _is_ serious. Drake and I were in here, and we found this envelope full of cash!”

 

“Oh, uh, wow!” Maxwell stammered stupidly. “That… that must be the money that Bertrand was looking for. Thank you. You guys saved my life. Bertrand was ready to kill me over this.”

 

“No problem,” Brianna waved his thanks off, feeling a little pinprick of worry. There was something weird in Maxwell’s actions, but she trusted him, so she handed the envelope over.

  
“I think it’s too late to get the staff back, but at least we found it!” Maxwell said.

  
“But… how do you think the money ended up here?” she asked him, and he shrugged.

 

“Oh, you know, it’s been so crazy lately… Bertrand probably put it here to give to the staff and then forgot about it or something.”

  
Drake had been quietly listening, his arms folded over his broad chest, but he cut in smoothly. “I don’t think that Bertrand would forget something like that.”

 

“Yeah, I’ll have to talk to him about it.”

  
“You know, you can always tell us if you’re in some kind of trouble,” Drake offered.

  
“Oh, no more than usual,” Maxwell laughed stiffly. “Anyway, thanks for finding it! I owe you guys! But now we better get back to work before Bertrand realizes we’ve stopped cleaning!”  
  
As Drake led her out of the room, his hand going to the small of her back, she saw Maxwell pocket the cash discretely.  
  
“Something is off,” Drake murmured in her ear. “You getting that feeling too?”

 

“Yeah… it seems like Maxwell might be hiding something.”

 

“And I want to know what it is.”  
  
“Maybe we’ll find more clues while we’re prepping the house?”

  
“We’ll see. Keep an eye out but try not to be too obvious about it.”

  
“Right.”

 

They headed back to the ballroom, and Drake dropped his hand once they could be spotted. She missed having him guide her gently, and his touch, but it wasn’t reasonable to expect that.

 

* * *

 

 

After cleaning for several hours, she felt the place was sufficiently clean and spruced. Her mind had been running wild the entire time, replaying the kiss (well, kisses) that she had shared with Drake. Part of her hoped there would be no chemistry, but it simply wasn’t true… and she was left in pure confusion over her situation. At last she met Bertrand and Maxwell in the main hall.  
  
“Whew! I just did the last of the bathrooms. I think this place is finally ready to go!” Maxwell said in a happy sigh.

  
“Yes, the house is… actually acceptable,” Bertrand agreed with a warm glint in his eye.

 

“Wow… Does something actually meet your standards?” she asked, gobsmacked.

 

“Do I need to call a doctor?” Maxwell continued, pressing his hand to Bertrand’s forehead.

  
Bertrand swatted him away. “No. You don’t. It’s only that tomorrow will be something special… I can feel it…” Bertrand’s face broke into a grin, and Brianna felt a shive of anticipation. There was a knock at the estate’s great door and Bertrand moved to answer it.  
  
“Who could it be at this hour?” he wondered aloud, and once he opened the door they saw Prince Liam, looking polished as always. Bertrand dropped to a bow. “Oh, Your Highness! You’re… early!” He cleared his throat. “I mean, what a pleasant surprise…”

  
“I hope I’m not disturbing anything,” Liam apologized smoothly with a winning smile.  
  
“Of course not. I hope you find everything in order,” Bertrand replied smoothly.

  
“As grand as I remember it.”

 

“Of course. Come on in…” He moved aside to allow the prince to enter. “If you’ll excuse us, my brother and I will check that your room accommodations are in order. In the meantime, I’m sure Lady Brianna here will entertain you.”

  
“I’m sure she will,” Liam said, moving his gaze to her as he walked up to her. The brothers left quickly, leaving the two of them together.

 

“You’re a delightful surprise,” Brianna greeted him.

  
“You’re assuming I’m here to see you, hmm?”

 

“You know… you shouldn’t even be here at all. The party isn’t until tomorrow.” Brianna put her hands on her hips in a mock scolding motion. “But… you better be.”

  
Her mind was screaming at her. She’d just been kissing his best friend hours ago, but here she was flirting with Liam. Brianna felt like she was being pulled in two directions, and she didn’t know what to do.

 

“What gave it away?” he flirted back, and she smiled coquettishly.

 

“You have my name written all over your lips.”

 

“There’s no hiding from you, is there?”

 

“Not a chance.”

  
“I arrived early because I knew you’d be here, and I wanted to see you before the festivities began,” Liam admitted. A troubled look passed over his face. “I know all of this must seem strange to you… jet-setting around Cordonia, attending grand formal events… I imagine it’s much different from ‘dating’ as you usually know it in New York.”

  
“Heh. You could say that, yeah.”

 

“I appreciate that you’ve thrown yourself into courtly life with such enthusiasm, but I wanted to… meet you halfway, so to speak.”

 

“Oh?” she asked, cocking her head to the side in curiosity.

 

“I also have this idea… it’s maybe a little silly, but… will you go on a date with me?” Liam asked, his cheeks turning slightly pink.  
  
“A date?”  
  
“My first true date. I want it to be with you.”

 

She let out a wobbly exhale. The things Liam said to her, they made her swoon, and she couldn’t help herself falling a little more when he said things like that.

  
“We’re on an estate surrounded by acres of vineyards… Where would we go? What would we do?” she asked with a little tease.

 

“Leave that to me. I promise you, it’ll be a proper first date. Tonight, I just want to be Brianna and Liam, two normal people going on a normal date…” Liam smiled softly at her. “What do you say? I know it’s a bit last-minute.”  
  
“Liam, I’d love to go on a date with you. I think I can do ‘ordinary’ for one evening,” she told him, a grin spreading on her face.

  
“You can be normal, but I don’t think you can ever be anything less than extraordinary.”  
  
“You’re really pulling out all the stops, aren’t you?” she rolled her eyes, bumping his hip with hers playfully.  
  
“For you? Definitely.” They shared a laugh, but Liam cleared his throat seriously. “If you think about it, it’s our first real date. I mean, we’ve been spending time together, but it’s been here and there…”  
  
“I’ll be sure to break out all the awkward icebreaker questions and first-date nerves…” she promised jokingly.

 

“Sounds perfect. I need to make a couple arrangements, but I’ll meet you at your room in an hour?”  
  
“Yes. I’m in the east wing, fourth door from the right,” she recited Bertrand’s instructions to her. “I’ll see you then.”

 

* * *

 

Brianna’s room was stunning. One wall was all windows, and the ceiling was high and exposed wood. She had a fireplace in front of her pure white bed, and a cozy rug on the floor. A chandelier contrasted the rustic vibes, and it seemed to suit her very well—comfortable, but with a regal twist.

 

She took a quick shower, pinning her hair up so it stayed dry. Brianna chose a floaty emerald green dress with an asymmetrical hem, shorter in the front and longer in the back. It was off the shoulder, so she pulled her hair up into a sort of side bun, letting a few loose wisps of hair tickle her shoulders and show off her collarbone. She fished out a few choker necklaces and layered them, standing back in the mirror. Brianna slipped into a pair of black pumps, pushing her shoulders back. Perfect.

 

Liam showed up at her door, his hand behind his back when she opened the door.  
  
“Brianna…” he greeted.  
  
“Your Highness…” she teased.  
  
“Please. Just Liam. These are for you,” he said, producing a bouquet of white, red, and peach roses from behind his back. She accepted them, breathing in their sweet scent with a silly smile.  
  
“Mmmm… thank you, Liam.”

  
“Are they… were they the right thing to get for a first date?” he asked, and she caught his eye in surprise. He was so… nervous.

 

“Liam, they’re amazing. I’m going to put them in a vase right now,” she said, moving to her bed and grabbing the decorative vase.

 

“I’m so glad you like them,” he said, as she filled the vase with water. She added the flowers to the vase and met Liam at the door, grabbing his arm.  
  
Together they walked down the hallways and up the grand staircase. Brianna was so curious where they were going, but a small part of her mind was still feeling guilty about the date because of Drake.  
  
“So are you going to spill about what we’re doing tonight?” she asked finally as they made their way up the stairs.  
  
“I did some research on traditional first dates…” he began slowly.

  
“You researched first dates? That’s super adorable.”

 

“Hey, I wanted tonight to be perfect.”

 

“And what did your research tell you?”

 

“That a traditional first date is dinner, then a movie.”

 

Brianna laughed, nodding. “That sounds pretty typical, yes.”  
  
“There aren’t any local theatres secure enough to be cleared of any threats, so… we’re going to be focusing on the dinner part. This way…” he led her gently, her hand resting on his arm as the moved through the estate. Liam opened the door, and together they walked into a rustic game room where a romantic dinner for two had been set up. The fireplace was crackling, sending golden light against the crystal and silverware on the table.  
  
“Aww, Liam…”  
  
“Dinner for two at the finest ‘restaurant’ I could find… or recreate.” He pulled a chair out for her, and she settled into it before he took a seat across from her. Once they were seated, he gave her an adorable grin. Maxwell poked his head into the room.  
  
“Ready?” he asked, grinning.

  
Liam motioned for him to come in. “Perfect timing.”

  
“Diners, welcome to Chateau Beaumont!” Maxwell announced, rolling in a cart with two covered plates and a bottle of sparkling wine. He popped the wine with a dignified cheer, a feat for Maxwell, and poured it into their flutes.  
  
“Maxwell? You’re our waiter tonight?” Brianna asked, holding her glass out for him.

  
“Of course! Hey, isn’t this funny, Brianna? When we first met, you were _our_ waitress.”  
  
“Heh,” she said, thinking how much she sounded like Drake when she did that.  
  
“I hope I can be half as professional as you were! Now, ahem… For your dinner, the finest bubbly Chateau Beaumont can offer and a simple homemade tomato pasta. As requested, Liam. Enjoy.” Maxwell moved the plates over gracefully, his voice smooth. With a dignified movement, her wheeled the cart out of the room.

  
Liam lifted his glass of sparkling wine. “What shall we toast to?”

 

“We should toast to first dates. So far, this one’s starting out great.”  
  
“Here’s to first dates and the hope that this will continue to be great,” he said, and they clinked their glasses together.  
  
“Cheers.” Brianna took a sip of the wine and then helped herself to a bite of the pasta. “Mmmm! This tastes wonderful…”  
  
“I’m glad you like it. I wasn’t sure what to request, so I chose this. It’s a simple pasta, but it makes me feel nostalgic… I used to eat this when I was a kid.”

  
“It’s great. No need to get too fancy on the first date… We can just take it slow and get to know each other.”

  
“Of course. Now, I believe I was promised some awkward icebreaker questions…”

  
“Do you believe in aliens?” she shot back easily. Liam laughed.  
  
“Excellent, I feel like I’m in a New York bar already.”  
  
“Hey, you’re not off the hook. You still need to answer.”

 

“Aliens, huh? I believe that we haven’t yet explored the entirety of space, and even though we haven’t run into anything yet, that doesn’t mean they don’t exist,” Liam explained thoughtfully. It was such a Prince Liam answer.  
  
“That’s not a definitive answer, but I’ll take it for now…”  
  
He smiled at her, his eyes warm. “Are all first date questions like this? Fun, but a little silly?”  
  
“More or less,” she laughed. “I can’t believe you’ve never been on a real first date.”

 

“Ah, yes, well, as you know, life as part of the royal family can have its limitations since I have to consider things like schedules and security. I’ve been introduced to women I’ve been interested in, of course, but our time together was spent at courtly functions, not on dates in a traditional way.”

  
“And have you ever been serious about anyone before?” she asked, shooting him a look over her wine glass.  
  
“Once, I thought I might have been… but the _spark_ wasn’t there.” He reached over and grabbed her hand, intertwining their fingers. “Before you, Brianna, I didn’t even know what was missing with everyone else.”  
  
“Liam..” she purred, feeling a happy shiver run down her spine.  
  
“And now, what about you? Are there any former lovers I need to worry about?” he asked. “I mean, if that’s not too personal a question.”

  
_Only current ones._

Brianna bit her lip, losing herself in thought for a minute. “I’ve dated some. I’ve only been really serious about one person before. I mentioned him briefly…” she trailed off, twirling pasta on her fork. “We’d been together since I started university, essentially. Things between us were so good until he proposed.”

  
Liam watched her, and she saw the surprise in his face and she made a little face.

  
“Sorry. I thought I mentioned that before. I was engaged to him, and he tried to make me fit what he envisioned his fiancée should be, but…” she let out a deep breath. “It got really bad at the end. I remember waking up one day and not recognizing who I was. I guess what I’m trying to say is, I haven’t had those traditional first dates much either. And I don’t regret anything. It’s brought me to this moment, hasn’t it?”  
  
Brianna met his eyes with a sort of sadness, but her smile was happy. Thinking of her past with Hunter wasn’t really fun, but she was being honest that it did bring her here.  
  
“It has,” he agreed. “And I’m thankful for that.”

  
“What’s the first thing you’d save if your castle was on fire?” she asked after a few minutes of eating in silence.

 

“It would be my guitar.”

  
“You play the guitar?” Brianna asked, pleasantly surprised.

  
“Er, rather horribly. But it’s my mother’s. She took it up for fun, but she was great. She’d sing when we went on picnics…”

 

Liam’s eyes settled on some indistinct point as his voice trailed off with the memory. She found herself watching his face, searching in his expression, before shaking her head to break her gaze.  
  
“I’d like to hear you play sometime,” she said finally.  
  
“Yes… sometime.”

 

They sipped their wine together, smiling softly at some sort of shared experience. Brianna felt like there was an unspoken bond between them in this moment.

 

“Are you more of a cat or a dog person?” he asked, twirling some pasta onto his fork.

  
“Oh, I’m a dog person.”

 

“Excellent,” he grinned. “We could have an entire kennel.”

  
“You’re a dog person too?”

 

“Is it obvious?”

  
“I knew I was attracted to you for a reason,” she chuckled, pushing her plate aside gently. Maxwell came in as they chatted about dogs, clearing their dinner plates and providing them with a decadent looking chocolate mousse dessert. He bowed out, closing the door gently behind him.  
  
Brianna carved a piece of the chocolate dessert out, letting it linger on her tongue as she thought about her date with Liam. “When we first met, I told you that I wanted to live each day to the fullest,” she mused.

 

“Do you think you’ve succeeded?”

 

“Yes,” she replied with an easy smile. “These last few weeks have been full of exciting new experiences I never imagined I’d do in a lifetime! But… what’s your dream? Your heart’s desire?”

  
Liam gave her the softest smile, his eyes flashing in the light of the fireplace. “More than peace and prosperity for Cordonia?”

 

“I’m talking to Liam, not the prince.”

 

“Maybe this is sentimental, but it’s been on my mind lately, especially given… well, never mind that.” Liam met her eyes. “What I really want is to have a family. Maybe not this year or the next, but eventually. And not the type that most kings have, but one where we’re close and listen to each other. I’ve never mentioned it to anyone before. It’s a pretty mundane dream now that I say it aloud…”

  
“I think it’s sweet,” she replied earnestly.

 

“I know it’s cliché to say this, but the more I live, the more I realize… life is nothing without the right person to share it with.” Liam’s eyes were searching hers with such an intensity it made her cheeks grow warm. “The most precious thing anyone has is time. You never know just how much you have left. And when it’s gone…”  
  
His mouth pulled into a frown, and he took a long sip of wine. “When it’s gone, it’s gone. I want to spend my time with the people I care about. With you, Brianna, more than anyone else.”

 

“Liam...” Brianna reached across the table, holding his hand in hers gently.

  
“I just had to say that. I had to make sure you knew how I felt.”

  
“I treasure all of our moments together too,” she promised him quietly, and his smile was brilliant in response.  
  
“You have no idea how much it means to me to hear you say that.”

 

“Well, this got awfully romantic for a first date,” she laughed, giving his hand a squeeze before she released him to grab her wine glass.  
  
Liam put on a fake puzzled expression. “Are you telling me that guys don’t lavish you with praise and adoration on all your first dates?”  
  
“No, not exactly,” she laughed. Liam joined in, and she felt so… effervescent. This moment was perfect, things were starting to spark between them, and everything was so _normal_. She wished it could stay this way forever, but she didn’t want to let those negative wisps of thought into her mind today.

  
“What a pity for those fools, then…”

 

They finished their dessert and Liam helped her to her feet. “May I walk you back to your room?”

 

“I’d love it if you did,” she replied, looping her arm through his and allowing him to guide her out of the room.  
  
“Thanks for coming out tonight, Brianna… I had a great time.”

  
“Yeah, dinner was lovely.”

  
“Does this mean a second date is in the cards?” he asked hopefully, and her giggle was light and tinkling down the hall.

 

“If you want it to be like a real first date, this is probably where you’d say that you’ll text me and then wait a week to actually do it.”

  
“I could never wait that long,” he replied smoothly, his voice deeper than usual.

 

“Me neither,” she admitted with a grin. They stopped in front of her door, and she faced Liam. He looked slightly nervous.

  
“Good night, Brianna…”

 

“Hmmm, where’s my goodnight kiss?”

 

“I was working my way up to that.”

 

Liam leaned down, his fingers tracing her jaw and tilting her head up to meet his. Their kiss was sweet at first, but as she pressed into him with more passion, he took a step forward and pressed her against her door.  
  
“Oh…” she whispered softly, feeling her body thrum in response.

 

“Brianna, somehow kissing you once never feels like enough…”

 

“No one told you to stop…”

  
With a groan, he grabbed her hips, pulling her close to him as he simultaneously pushed her against the door. His lips found hers again, and he nudged her lips open, deepening their kiss. Brianna's hands slipped under his shirt, feeling his bare chest and pulling him closer, letting his clean, spicy scent wrap around her—until they heard footsteps coming down the hall.

 

They sprang apart quickly, surely looking guilty as hell as they breathed hard in the silence, listening carefully. Liam turned to her with a rueful smile.

  
“That was close,” he said, and she nodded.

  
“Yeah, really. Though being caught in a covert make out sesh is a classic first date trope.”

 

“Check that off the list… but really, I have kept you out to late,” he finished, lifting her hand to his lips. He pressed a kiss to her skin. “Good night Brianna.”

  
“Good night, Liam.”

 

As soon as the door closed she was alone with her thoughts. She couldn’t even begin to comprehend her feelings… she felt closer to Liam than ever before, but she seemed to only really let herself to grow close to him without the pretence of all the royal stuffiness. That wasn’t practical for their relationship. As much as she felt a slow, steady sort of build in their relationship, there was an inexplicable pull to Drake. He turned her on with just a kiss, so vividly that she felt warm just remembering his lips on hers… but she felt stuck in their relationship—it could never really exist.

 

She washed her face in the sink, watching herself as if having a full-on conversation with her thoughts. _But_ , she argued with herself, _there was something there_. _They both felt it. And Drake finally admitted it._ That complicated things. Brianna changed into her pajamas and crawled into bed. It wasn’t as if there wasn’t anything between her and Liam. It was just _different_ with Drake, and it could never happen with Drake, so it was just a pipe dream to think of being with him. And was it so wrong to let herself believe in that fantasy for just one night?

  
She didn’t think so, and as she drifted off to sleep she allowed herself to dream of Drake’s kiss, over and over… mingling with Liam pressing her against the door…

 

* * *

 

“Rise and shine, our little budding princess!”

 

Brianna blinked wearily, sitting up among her nest of covers. Bertrand and Maxwell stood at the foot of her bed, waiting for her, and she tugged the covers up over her chest protectively.

  
“Yes, up, up, up!” Bertrand commanded, motioning for her to hurry. “Today’s the big day. We’ve prepared the house from top to bottom, and now, for the final step. Preparing our representative lady.”

 

“Let me guess,” she said, breaking off into a yawn.

  
  
“Go, go, go. Maxwell, make sure she’s presentable,” Bertrand ushered his brother forward.

  
  
Maxwell stepped closer to the bed, grinning. “Right away!” he tugged on her arm, and she groaned but rolled out of bed and padded her way to the closet behind Maxwell. One dress hung on the rack, and she gave a little snort of laughter.

“This is quite the… uh, selection.”

 

“It’s all we could get ahold of, but I thought it’d make you look like the princess you’re destined to be! The local dress shop said they’ll charge it to use if we want to keep it. I think we do…” Maxwell lowered his voice, “and this one’s on us, Bree.”

  
  
“Alright… I’ll try it on.”

  
  
She closed the closet door behind Maxwell, letting her fingers trace the material of the dress. It was a stunning azure blue with a full skirt of cascading ruffles. The bodice was tight and decorated with intricate beadwork, pushed off the shoulders to reveal a stunning neckline and a classy amount of cleavage. She had the perfect silver necklace to pair with the outfit, but her hands lingered on the dress.

  
  
Brianna didn’t deserve this. She’d been dreaming about kissing Drake all day yesterday and then let herself fall for Liam even more. She was playing with fire, but it was impossible to resolve the dichotomy between what her heart wanted and what her head wanted… plus, she was genuinely developing feelings for each man.

“Are you stuck?” Maxwell asked hesitantly, and she laughed.

“No, sorry…”

  
She slipped into the dress, zipping it up most of the way before stepping out dramatically. “I await my magical pumpkin carriage.”  
  
“Wow,” Maxwell nodded appreciatively. “I’m fresh out of pumpkins, but I can offer you a paprika-and-caviar appetizer.”

 

“That works.”  
  
“You look… stunning, by the way…” he trailed off, looking up and down her again. She saw his cheeks redden, and it made her smile.

 

“Thank you, Maxwell.”  
  
“Let’s go… We’re going to throw the BEST PARTY EVEEEEEEEEEER!” he bellowed in an aggressive falsetto.

 

“Just… after I do my hair and make up,” she laughed, patting Maxwell on the back.

  
This was it.

  
  
She’d crush it.

 

Right?

 

* * *

* * *

 


	16. Chapter Sixteen: Beaumonts, Bashes, and Booze

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s the famed Beaumont Bash and Brianna does her best to put on a good show while managing to find time for her friends and a wild night. 
> 
> **NSFW: Language, Sexual Content **

* * *

* * *

 

The Beaumont Bash was finally here. After she was able to shove Maxwell out of her room, Brianna had a long day of prep before her. Bertrand had planned the large majority of her day, which was nice in the sense that she didn’t have to think too much about her actions, but she felt a little odd about him knowing so much about her personal grooming.

 

The itinerary he printed for her outlined a hair appointment, a facial and body wax, a manicure and pedicure, a fill for her eyelashes, and a professional makeup artist and hair stylist to help her prepare for the evening. She managed a quick jog and bath before her hairdresser arrived, trying to ignore the fact that there was no note from Drake. Brianna wished it didn’t feel as lonely as it did, but she didn’t have the time to dwell on it today between her numerous beauty appointments.

 

* * *

 

 

Several hours later, she emerged from her closet in the dress that Maxwell had helped her into earlier. The makeup artist zipped her up before leaving, and when she caught her reflection, she audibly gasped. Brianna looked like a real princess. Her skin was creamy and pale against the stunning blue of the dress. It fell off her shoulder and showcased her luminous complexion without being crude. A dress like this radiated wealth, from the impressive style to the impeccable design. The lighting caught the delicate silver beading in her bodice and through her full, ruffled skirt. Brianna had added an intricate, plunging silver necklace to reflect more light, and she positively sparkled from head to toe.

 

Her long, dark hair had been expertly trimmed and coloured earlier to add dimension, and the stylist had twisted it back into an elegant, low updo. It showcased her outfit, and her face, beautifully. Brianna had never looked so radiant—her skin was smooth and bright, flushed with just a little pink blush. Her eyes were wide and sparkling, their blue shade brought out by the colour of the dress, and her lips soft and inviting with a little slick of gloss. She looked stunning… like royalty. Brianna’s eyes raked over her appearance as she stood in the mirror, and she couldn’t help feeling unapologetically vain as she drank in every inch of herself. It was almost like an assurance that she _could_ be royalty, someday.

 

There was a knock on her door, and she floated over (well, she was wearing four-inch heels, but the way the dress fell to the floor it _looked_ like she was floating) and opened it. Maxwell stood, practically buzzing with excitement.

  
“Brianna! Guess what time it is!”

  
“Time to impress?” she guessed with a smile.

  
“Oh, woowwwwwww,” he sang under his breath. “Look at you! You look _fantastic_! Way to represent House Beaumont!”  
  
Maxwell held a hand up, and she gave him the high-five he was requesting, laughing as their palms smacked loudly. “Well, it’s a big night. I don’t want to miss a thing,” she said.

  
“If he were here, Bertrand might actually shed a tear…”

  
“Right before ordering me to do something else.”

 

“Actually, he beat you to it. He already ordered me to escort you,” Maxwell admitted.

  
“Escort me where?”  
  
“It’s a surprise!” he said, tugging her forward gently. She let him lead her through the manor, feeling excited and nervous as they entered a spare room. It looked like it had been set up to be a temporary boutique, like Applewood Manor had, but it was a lot smaller. Still, she felt a certain pride for it as the room was adorable in all white, and the racks were full of clothes.

 

“Uhm… the pop-up boutique?” she asked him, turning to catch his eyes questioningly. “But what—”

 

Maxwell cut her off quickly. “I need to oversee a few adjustments to the ballroom decorations. Be your charming self in here.” He left the room, looking back to shoot her a wink.  
  
Brianna crossed her arms, feeling a little self conscious as she looked around the room. There was something in the room, a weird sort of energy… just then, the curtain to the dressing area slid back and Liam stepped out with a grin.

 

“Liam!”

 

“Lady Brianna, what a coincidence running into you,” he drawled playfully, stepping closer.

  
“It’s interesting,” she mused, “I was told to wait here… even though I’m already dressed.”

 

“I think perhaps _someone_ is trying to give us time alone together.”

 

“Well, I’m not complaining. I like the results.”

 

“I do too. You look like a princess,” he said, his voice deepening with admiration as his eyes ran over her.

 

“Oh, you know what they say, ‘dress for the job you want,’” Brianna laughed, doing a little twirl for him. Liam joined in, his eyes sparkling excitedly.  
  
“I couldn’t think of a better look for one.”

 

“And is this what you’re wearing tonight?”  
  
Brianna let her hands reach out to his black suit jacket, running her fingers across the silken lapel. She could hear Liam’s breath catch gently, and she dropped her hands before she pushed the boundaries too far.

  
“I was just deciding that now…” he said after a beat.

  
“Since we’re hosting, you could dress to match me,” Brianna suggested, shooting him an innocent smile.  
  
“That could cause quite a stir, Lady Brianna.”

 

“I live for the drama,” she joked, holding up a blue bowtie to match her dress. “In all seriousness, it’d be a public way to show how close we are…”

 

“It would… but it’d also be a rather bold move…” Liam trailed off, his eyes on hers.  
  
“I’m a fan of bold moves, so I insist.” She moved close to him, still holding the blue bow tie. “People can blame me for the fallout.” Liam searched her face for a minute, and she could see something guarded in his face. It crumbled shortly after and he relented.

  
“Alright, I’m game.” Together they picked out a white tuxedo to compliment the bowtie, and the seamstress made a few last-minute alterations until Prince Liam was an absolute vision in his outfit.  
  
“You look…” Brianna’s voice faltered as she eyed him. Liam really was too handsome for words in that classical, strong way that men in fairy tales were built. There was a quiet perfection to him, like a polished gemstone. “You look great.”

 

“I can’t deny this is one of the finest suits I’ve ever worn… and the fact that you like it makes it even better.”

  
Brianna moved to stand next to him, looking across at the mirror to see them together. In her heels she was much closer to his height, though still more than a few inches short. Their looks offset each other—his blonde hair and lightly tanned skin, her dark hair in contrast to her porcelain complexion. There was a sort of fluidity between them today, an ease in their interactions, and it was really… nice.

  
“We look so cute together!” she said, tucking her body against his as she watched their reflections.  
  
“We do. I’ll see you tonight for the party, Lady Brianna. Until then.” Liam bowed and left the boutique, letting Maxwell in.  
  
“Whew, those were _some_ adjustments that needed overseeing…” Maxwell lied dramatically, his dark eyes flashing. He had such an impish personality, and it never failed to brighten her day.

  
“Uh-huh,” she responded flatly. “Maxwell… was that just an elaborate ploy that you and Bertrand put together to get me alone with Liam?”

 

“Whaaaaat?” His jaw literally dropped, and he raised a hand to his chest. “ _Us?_ It’s not like we’re _sponsoring you to win_ or anything. That’d be silly. By the way… I couldn’t help but notice that Prince Charming matches our Cinderella. You two look good together.”

 

Brianna giggled lightly as Maxwell wiggled his eyebrows at her. For some reason the idea to match with the prince was starting to brew doubts in her mind, but she knew that was just nerves talking… and Drake. She couldn’t help herself from wondering what Drake would think.

 

 

“Thank you, Maxwell. For everything.”

 

“Now, I do actually want to escort you to the ballroom. The party’s starting soon, and as hosts, we should be there to greet everyone.”

 

“Lead the way.”

 

* * *

 

 

Maxwell led her to the ballroom, and she exhaled slowly when they walked in. The lighting was casting gorgeous, soft lights everywhere, and the flowers cascaded in bursts of white, burgundy, red, and pink. The gold and lilac room was a stunning mix of modern and old, and it was gorgeous.  
  
“Wow… It really came together!” she admired, touching a flower in the vase next to the door delicately.

 

He nodded appreciatively. “I’m sure Bertrand’s pleased with the work… well, moderately at least.”  
  
“He’s probably as pleased as he can physically be,” Brianna assured him, and they giggled as they moved past the tables. The head table was on a dais, and as they walked by, she could see an open binder with a diagram of the room.  
  
“Is that the seating chart?” she asked Maxwell, stepping closer.  
  
“Sure is,” he confirmed with a quick look. “Bertrand must’ve arranged everyone already. He’s already put you next to Prince Liam and the king and queen, so that’s ready to go.”

 

She ran her finger, freshly painted with a nude pink polish, down the list of names. Olivia’s name finally came up, and she tapped it gently. “You know… through all the hustle of yesterday, I never had the chance to give the seating arrangement my… um, _approval_.”

  
“Approval?” Maxwell looked at her, confusion etched in his face until he relaxed in realization. “Ohhh, _that_ approval. I remember what Olivia did to you back at her estate. A little payback wouldn’t hurt. Let’s see… She’s currently sitting with Madeleine, Penelope, and Kiara.”

 

He flipped to a different page and nodded to himself. “Bertrand wanted to cut her off from Prince Liam, but respectfully leave her up front with the other noble ladies.”

  
“We should leave her be,” Brianna resolved with a long sigh. “You know, I’m over what she did. Plus, she’ll _die_ when she sees that Liam and I are matching. That’s enough payback for me.”

  
“Bertrand will thank you for keeping the peace… mostly.”

 

“No, he won’t,” she laughed.

 

“Well, I’m thanking you on his behalf!” Maxwell shot her a dazzling grin.

 

The clock in the ballroom struck the hour, and as if by magic Bertrand strode through the room. He was coming directly for her and Maxwell, and the huge smile on his face was… weird.

  
“You look uncharacteristically happy,” Brianna told him happily.

 

His face fell at her question. _Damn._ “Why wouldn’t I be?” Bertrand showcased his smile once more as he continued. “We’re showing off the splendor of House Beaumont… and, fortune willing, it’s also our chance to show the court just how well the prince and Lady Brianna are suited, right before the coronation…”

 

Bertrand stood up straighter, looking around the room with pride. “If everything goes well, tonight will be a grand accomplishment. So, places, you two! Guests will be let in, and we should greet them with a smile!”

 

She exchanged a look with Maxwell as Bertrand moved to the doors of the ballroom. With a flourish, he threw the doors open and guests began to make their way in. The room buzzed to life as servers distributed drinks and appetizers. Brianna grabbed a flute of champagne and began mingling immediately, greeting guests with a gracious smile.  
  
After a few minutes of socializing, Brianna moved to a quieter corner of the room to check in with Maxwell. He was watching the room contemplatively, and he gave her a soft smile as she approached. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen Bertrand so happy. It kind of reminds me of how he used to be…” Maxwell shrugged. “Who knows, we might even see _fun_ Bertrand tonight!”

  
“Now _that_ I want to see. I’m not entirely convinced he exists.”

  
“Heh. Honestly, it means a lot to me to see him in such good spirits…”

 

“Maxwell, you’re such a good brother. And a good friend. You’re just a _good_ person,” she told him genuinely, clinking her champagne flute against his glass of water.  
  
“Awww, thanks Bree. Let’s make this night one to remember!”

  
“Right! I better get socializing again. Good luck out there,” she told him, moving back out to the room. As guests streamed in, she caught sight of Drake. Part of her had been looking for him all night, but she didn’t want to fully admit that. Brianna swirled her way over to him, unable to dampen the bright smile that crossed her face as she greeted him.  
  
“Welcome to the Beaumont Bash… You’ll recognize some of these fine floral arrangements as yours…” she said as her arm swept over the tables. Drake was looking at her dumbly, and he stumbled over his words.

  
“Richardson…” he said in an exhale, and she shivered. “You look…”

  
“Yes?” she purred, allowing a half step closer to him. Brianna looked up at him through her lashes, blinking slowly. Was the champagne turning her into such a minx, or was it just him?

  
Drake coughed roughly, tearing his eyes from her. “…You look ready for the party. Everything really came together.”

  
“I know, right? Though… you don’t really look like you’re dressed for the occasion.”

  
“You don’t like my look?” He looked down at his dark wash jeans coupled with a black t-shirt and an unbuttoned grey dress shirt. “This shirt’s clean.”  
  
“I guess that’s the most I should I expect. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you dress up for these fancy events. It might be a nice change of pace,” she said with a smile, leaning closer for a moment. “But I never said I didn’t like your look.”

  
“Eh,” he replied casually, but she could see the colour rushing to his cheeks. “Fashion is subjective. Besides, people are here to see the prince, not me.” Drake reached in his pocket and pulled out a little piece of paper, handing it to her.  
  
“I know I shouldn’t… but…” He shrugged. “I don’t know.”

  
Brianna tucked it away in her clutch, not wanting to see it, not wanting to acknowledge the way it made her heart soar. “I don’t know either, but we’ll figure it out.”  
  
Hana bounced over, interrupting at the right time. She was looking adorable in a floating dress of blush pink, nearly white in its delicate colour. “Brianna! Drake! Oh, Maxwell!” she greeted them as Maxwell walked over too. “I’ve never been to the Beaumont estate before. This looks wonderful.”  
  
“Thank you, Hana,” Maxwell said.

  
“And Brianna!” Hana turned to face her friend. “ _You_ look amazing!”

  
“Thank you, but you’re one to talk! You look lovely, too.”

  
A server made her way over to the group, brandishing the ridiculous caviar-and-paprika appetizers on a golden platter.  
  
“Our creations!” Maxwell squealed in her ear, and Brianna gave him a discrete thumbs-up.  
  
“I hope people like them…” she replied, quieting as she heard a group of ladies behind her mention something about ‘smoky paprika’.

 

“Uhhh… what is this dish?” the lady asked, and there was a French lilt. _Must be Kiara._

 _  
_ Maxwell leaned over. “What you have there is a deconstructed delicacy of caviar cultivated from pampered hake fish of Swedish fjords with paprika harvested from a micro-nursery in Provence,” he explained smoothly. Brianna widened her eyes at him, stifling a giggle as the ladies behind her took delicate bites.

 

“Wow… so fancy…” one of the ladies said a little breathlessly, and Brianna assumed it was Penelope. “I like them! Spicy, salty, definitely unique.”  
  
“Mmmm… it reminds me of when I dined at the top of la tour Eiffel in Paris! Did you use the same chef?” Kiara asked.  
  
Maxwell nodded seriously. “Someone comparable.” He leaned close to Brianna and lowered his voice. “Well, the reactions to our appetizers seem mostly positive.”

  
“Of course they are! We put our blood, sweat, and tears into those! They should enjoy them,” she whispered passionately.

 

Hana stopped, her appetizer halfway to her mouth. “That doesn’t sound very sanitary…”

 

“No, no, it’s an expression,” Drake clarified, sipping from a glass of whisky he managed to track down.  
  
“Besides, it’s not like _we_ made the food…” Brianna clarified, a little slowly.

  
“I think it tastes great!” Hana endorsed, dabbing the corners of her mouth with her finger.

 

“Thanks! Er… I mean, I’ll let the chef know,” Brianna smiled. Unfortunately, she spotted Madeleine and Olivia walking in at that exact moment, so her face took on a sharper edge. She regained her calm composure and adopted a false smile.  
  
“Duchess Olivia, Countess Madeleine… welcome.”

  
“Lady Brianna,” Madeline greeted. “Don’t you look… well… nice. And the Beaumonts have certainly outdone themselves.”

 

“Yes, this isn’t as tacky an affair as I imagined it would be,” Olivia conceded.  
  
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Brianna replied warmly, her smile widening.

 

“As you should. Now, let’s get this evening over with. Where’s the wine?” Olivia asked, brushing past her quickly. Madeleine lingered, watching Prince Liam at the head table before turning her gaze back to Brianna.  
  
“You must be feeling pretty smug,” she told Brianna flatly.

  
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

 

“I’ve been hearing some rumours that you’ve become the frontrunner going into the coronation…”

 

“Madeleine, it’s not a race,” Brianna reminded her. She could feel herself frowning, but she couldn’t keep the smile plastered on her face.

  
“Isn’t it though? In a way?”

 

Madeleine cocked her head gently, her bright eyes boring into Brianna’s. The tension was palpable.

  
“No,” Brianna said firmly. “It’s about the prince and who he wants to marry.”

  
“…Right.” A few beats passed and Madeline’s eyebrow arched, nearly imperceptibly. “Masterful stroke by the way.”  
  
“Hmmm?”

 

“The prince is wearing something from the House Beaumont collection. I recognize the label. You truly look like you belong together…” Madeleine trailed off.

 

“Thank you!”

 

“Of course, looking the part and being chosen are two different matters. You never know what might happen…”  
  
“May the best woman win,” Brianna said finally, and Madeleine’s face hardened with the challenge.

  
“Yes. The _best_ woman.” Madeleine walked off stiffly, her full green skirt billowing behind her. Brianna looked to where Bertrand was standing on the dais, ready to address the attendees. He looked so refined and regal, her heart ached in unexpected pride.  
  
“Welcome, everyone. If you’ll please take your seats, dinner will begin shortly,” Bertrand announced, smiling over the crowd.  
  
Drake’s voice was in her ear, behind her. “That’s my cue. I have a seat in the back, so I’ll see you after dinner.”  
  
“And I’d better go and take my seat with the other ladies,” Hana said, and Brianna frowned, touching her friend’s hand gently.  
  
“I wish we could have all sat together,” Brianna frowned, looking to the both of them.

  
“Hey, don’t look so disappointed, Richardson. You’re sitting with royalty. I learned a long time ago I don’t fit in there. But don’t worry,” he continued, that lopsided smile breaking across his face, “I’m sure you’ll be able to handle one dinner without us.”

  
“Right…” she said, her eyes lingering on Drake’s.

  
“We’ll catch up later!” Hana promised with a pretty smile. Brianna turned to go to the front, and she saw a server leading Olivia to her table. A small part of her wished she had moved the redhead to the back table, especially as she overheard some snotty comment of Olivia’s, something about how the front was where she deserved.  
  
“Don’t get too excited,” Madeleine shot back.  
  
Olivia sneered as she settled into her chair. “Jealous, much?”  
  
Brianna smiled as she moved past them, taking her seat at the head table. Liam was to her left, and Bertrand to her right. The king and queen sat beside the prince, and as they settled, the servers came out bearing the main course.  
  
“Oh, chicken cordon bleu!” Queen Regina commented happily. “This is my favourite, Duke Ramsford. How did you know?”  
  
As she placed a small, delicate piece of chicken in her mouth, Brianna had to admit it was divine. Liam smiled at her gently, and she ran her thumb over the back of his hand quickly.

 

“I didn’t,” Bertrand admitted with a polite smile. “But I asked the chef to prepare what he thought the classiest meal should be… Apparently, you have exquisite taste.”

 

“I know you’re flattering me, but I can’t say I mind.”

 

The king held his wife’s hand for a moment. “The food is delicious, the wine is excellent, and the setting is magnificent. Duke Ramsford, you do your house proud.”

  
Bertrand shone with the king’s praise. “It’s kind of you to say that, sire. I regret we could only host you for one night…”

 

“It can’t be helped with the social season coming to an end. We must return to the palace,” the king said ruefully.  
  
“I can’t believe the coronation is coming up so soon…” Brianna reached for her water, sipping at it carefully.  
  
“Yes, Liam will soon have a lot of choices to make,” Bertrand said, eyeing the prince.

  
“I’m feeling confident about my decisions,” the prince answered easily with a bright smile. The queen turned her face a little too quickly to look at Liam.

  
“Are you now?” she asked with interest. “Have you already made up your mind on the lady you wish to marry?”

 

Brianna felt her palms grow clammy. Did she want to hear the answer? She reached for her water again, so if Liam did answer, she could buy some time.  
  
“Well…” Liam drawled, setting his hand on Brianna’s hip gently under the table.  
  
“Now, now, he shouldn’t reveal that until the coronation… it wouldn’t be proper,” Constantine reminded his wife with a slightly pointed look.  
  
Regina looked to Brianna. “If you were chosen, Lady Brianna, do you feel like you’d be ready to marry?”  
  
_Fuck. I don’t want to answer this._

 

“It wouldn’t be a cakewalk being married to Liam,” Constantine warned, his tone playful.

  
Bertrand cut in, looking surprised by the question. “Of course she’d be ready!”

 

“Duke Ramsford, no need to answer for her,” the queen said with a tiny chuckle of amusement.

 

“Oh, I’d be ready because marriage is all about hard work. I’m no stranger to that,” Brianna replied confidently.  
  
“A truthful answer. It is about working through tough times, many of which would stem from Liam being the Crown Prince,” Regina said.  
  
“I know who Liam is,” Brianna replied easily, catching Liam’s gaze.  
  
“You do,” he confirmed, smiling.  
  
“Well, that satisfies me…” Constantine said, taking a bite of his chicken. The tension, though barely there, seemed to dissipate after the questions. Bertrand was smiling, and his face stayed alight throughout the dinner and even through dessert.

 

Their conversation was easy and polite, but Brianna was able to feel some of her old doubts about her relationship with Liam creeping back in. There was just something about their relationship that felt so… unnatural when they were in front of everyone. Brianna suspected it was her insecurities from her previous relationship with Hunter, but she wasn’t sure how to separate the two. Things had been so tender and loving with Hunter for so long, and it seemed like out of the blue things changed, and their relationship became dictated by whoever was looking in. And she always told herself she just needed to work hard…

 

 

* * *

* * *

 

_The social scene of New York was admittedly exhausting. Brianna felt like the past few months had wrung her out dry, but she loved showing Hunter just how far she could surpass his expectations. She had finally mastered the damn souffle, her etiquette lessons were starting to pay off, and she was slowly learning the right things to say in front of the stuffy New York socialites.  
  
She’d complained to Hunter several times that it felt like she was living a double life, but he promised this was just to advance his career and fit in at work. For the first few months, she believed that, but as time passed it began to feel more and more like this was who they were becoming. Part of her felt she was judging the situation too quickly, and that all couples went through periods like this. The other part of her though, the nagging side, wasn’t so sure. Brianna always said a relationship is the hardest work you’ll do in your life, but she had never imagined it would be like this._

_There was one night where it seemed like it was a turning point. They were opening up the dance floor at one of Hunter’s stuffy work events, and he swept her along the dance floor with a gorgeous grace. He was looking so handsome, his strawberry blonde hair looking alight with flames as it caught the candlelight. Brianna leaned in to kiss him, and he moved past her to her ear.  
  
“What the fuck are you doing? No PDA on the dance floor.”_

_Hunter pulled away, a soft smile playing on his lips as if he’d just whispered sweet nothings into her ear. She could feel her cheeks flame and her eyes were brimmed with tears. Most of her wanted to slap him and walk out of the damned event, pack her bags, and leave it alone.  
  
But she didn’t. Relationships were hard work. Hunter had been with her throughout the majority of her degree, and he’d sacrificed for her, hadn’t he? After all, he’d convinced her to grow her hair out, to switch her major, to drop certain friends who were bad influences. He’d put in the hard work. She could do the same for him. So, she let her lips curve up in a fake smile on the dance floor, working on not crying as he swept her across the polished floor.  
  
Hunter wanted her to swallow her pride, her opinions, her objections.  
  
And she let him.  
  
Every day after that night._

_  
For two more years._

* * *

* * *

 

Brianna lifted the water to her lips, sipping slowly. Those memories… they made her feel like shit. She tried to put herself back at the table, to forget the past.  
  
“What a delightful meal that was,” Queen Regina complimented.  
  
“Dessert makes everything better,” Brianna agreed brightly.  
  
Liam looked around the table. “As does good company.” His gaze lingered on Brianna, and she laughed. The king looked between the pair of them and took the queen’s hand fondly.  
  
“I remember being young once,” Constantine said, and Regina smiled so tenderly at him.  
  
“I always feel young when I’m with you…”

 

“Oh, my dear. When all is said and done, I hope Liam makes the right choice.”

  
Bertrand nodded seriously. “That’s what we all hope for, sir.”  
  
With a quick dab of his napkin, Bertrand cleaned off his napkin and set it on his plate. He stood in front of the room, tapping his glass until everyone’s attention was captured. Brianna had to admit, the way Bertrand could command attention was second only to that of the royal family.  
  
“Now that the dessert course has been served, the grand hall is now open. Please join us there for the after-dinner festivities!” Bertrand announced, raising a glass. He led the way out of the room as people began to stand and trickle out, following him to the foyer. Brianna stuck close and made her way to the grand hall, beside Prince Liam. Bertrand made his way halfway up the staircase and stopped, smiling at his guests.  
  
“Citizens, nobles, friends, we’ve gathered here today to celebrate the end of the social season,” he began, and a small cheer erupted with applause. Brianna joined in, trying not to let the though that the social season was practically over linger too long. “So, if you’ll hear me out, I’d like to share a few words…”  
  
Maxwell nudged Brianna gently, nodding to the back of the staircase. “It’s time to pick our weapons. You and I are going to saber open some champagne,” he whispered. Brianna followed Maxwell discretely to the back of the staircase, looking at the wall of weapons. Bertrand continued smoothly with his speech as they evaluated different options.  
  
Immediately she was drawn to the flail, but she felt the dagger would be the most practical choice. It was a little safe—she felt stupid even thinking that, it was a _dagger_ after all—so she decided on the sword, which presented more of a challenge.  
  
“The classic, reliable sword,” Maxwell nodded with approval as he lifted the flail. There were a few bottles next to display, which Brianna wondered if Maxwell had set out, so they each grabbed a bottle.  
  
Bertrand’s speech was drawing to a close. “…And so, with all of House Beaumont with me, let us propose a toast!”  
  
“That’s our cue,” Maxwell said, nudging Brianna. He led her up the stairs, weapons and champagne bottles in hand.  
  
“To our gracious royal family…” Bertrand said, holding his arm out to motion to the royals while Maxwell cleared his throat.  
  
“To all those here tonight!” Maxwell continued, looking to Brianna.  
  
“And to the Brothers Beaumont,” Brianna said, “our legendary horsts, who I wouldn’t be here without.”

 

Maxwell raised the flail and the champagne bottle. “Let’s rock this place to the ground!” He swung the flail into the bottle, shattering it entirely. Champagne ran down the steps, and Brianna looked up with an unreadable expression on her face. Bertrand was laughing.  
  
Laughing.

  
“We’ve never let a lost bottle stop us before. Bring out another!” Bertrand called, and Maxwell whooped loudly.

 

Brianna held her bottle out, swinging with the sword and slicing the top off the bottle off. The champagne foamed out, dripping onto the stairs, and Brianna held it high.  
  
“Whoa… it took me much longer to master that move,” Maxwell said, looking impressed.

 

“Beginner’s luck,” she said under her breath to him, shooting him a wink.  
  
Bertrand clapped his hands together, his face radiant. “From all of us at House Beaumont… thank you!”

  
Everyone cheered as the servers rushed forward to hand out glasses of champagne. Maxwell ran to the top of the stairs, but before Brianna could see what he was up to, the king and queen approached her and Bertrand.  
  
“Splendid night, Duke Ramsford, Lady Brianna,” Regina said with a genuine smile.  
  
The king looked at them with pride. “You’ve delivered the type of enjoyable evening we would’ve expected from a Beaumont celebration.”

  
“You’re too kind, Your Majesties,” Bertrand replied.  
  
“But we should take our leave,” the king said, looking to his wife. “The old folks can’t handle the late-night events…”

  
From the top of the stairs, Maxwell was shouting, his energy practically vibrating. “Bring out the blindfolds! Find my bow and arrow! Put an apple on the bust of my great-grandfather!”

 

“…Though we’re sure it’ll be something to remember,” the queen commented, her eyes flashing with humour as she met Brianna’s eyes. They chuckled together, and the king clapped a hand on Bertrand’s shoulder.

 

“Try not to incapacitate half the court again,” Constantine teased.

  
“Perhaps only a third this time,” Bertrand quipped, and they all chuckled good naturedly. As the kind and queen departed, Bertrand raised a glass to them. “You’ll be sorely missed when you retire, sir. It’s been an honour knowing you all these years.”

 

“Oh, Duke Ramsford, that’s not necessary,” Regina commented, but Bertrand shook his head.  
  
“I think it is, ma’am. To the crown!”

 

“To the crown!” Brianna echoed, raising her champagne flute.  
  
“Thank you,” Regina said, smiling up at them.  
  
“We’ll see you again at the coronation, and hopefully the results will be favourable for us all,” the king said in parting as he escorted his wife out of the manor.  
  
“Well, well, well…” Bertrand let out a long, slow breath. Brianna eyed him carefully, but she was pleasantly surprised to see his smile was huge.

  
“What? You look pleased.”

 

“Did you hear that? ‘Favourable for us all.’ Lady Brianna, I think the future is looking bright…”  
  
Brianna’s stomach squeezed uncomfortably, and she took a mouthful of champagne. “So… does this mean we’re about to see fun Bertrand?”

 

Bertrand smiled at her, picking up an open bottle of champagne. He studied it for a second before taking a big swig.  
  
“Maxwell!” he called.  
  
“What?”

 

“Let the revelry begin!”  
  
“Awwwwwwwwwww yeah!” Maxwell shouted, shimmying his hips.  
  
Music was blasting from the sound system, alcohol was flowing, and the vibe was officially set on party. Maxwell slide down the railing, landing smoothly just as professional dancers and acrobats streamed into the hall from different doors.

 

“I hope you’re ready, ‘cause the Maxwell Special is in the house!” Maxwell shouted, moonwalking to the middle of the floor as the music’s tempo increased. “I am the myth… the man… the legend. Witness me!”

 

Maxwell hit the floor, hard, and immediately spun into a dance move. From there, his limbs moved aggressively into a flurry of breakdance moves. Brianna was laughing so hard tears were starting to seep out of her eyes. She moved down the stairs, past Maxwell, and joined Drake, Hana, and Liam.  
  
“It’s been less than two minutes, and my ears hurt,” Drake grumbled.  
  
“Come on Drake, you usually give it at least five minutes before tapping out,” Liam said, sipping from his champagne flute.  
  
“There’s so much happening,” Hana murmured, her eyes wide as she studied everything in the hall.  
  
“That’s the problem,” Drake said.

  
“Bring out the horses!” Bertrand yelled from the other side of the room, and Brianna caught Drake’s eye with a horrified expression.  
  
_The horses?!_

“The horses!” Maxwell echoed, springing up from his breakdancing.

 

“The horses?! You’re bringing horses in here?!” Brianna asked, looking between everyone in the group. Someone on staff led a beautiful pair of steeds into the hall, and Brianna let out a surprised snort.  
  
“Who’s ready for a little horse riding?” Bertrand asked the crowd, and Maxwell thrust his fist high into the air.  
  
“I am!”

 

“Great…” Drake said, rolling his eyes as Maxwell mounted one of the horses.  
  
“Who will be my partner?” Maxwell asked, shielding his eyes dramatically and searching the crowd.  
  
“How about our king-to-be?” Bertrand suggested, and Liam laughed.  
  
“I nominate Drake as my proxy.”

 

“Oh, no, you’re not forcing me into the saddle tonight,” Drake said quickly, shaking his head and taking a step back.  
  
“I vote for Brianna!” Hana called.  
  
“Brianna!” Maxwell echoed, motioning for her to join him.  
  
“Come on up then, Lady Brianna. Your saddle awaits,” Bertrand said, motioning to the horse.  
  
Brianna shook her head as she moved forward. “I believe I have my own horse, thank you very much.”  
  
“One that made the trip with me from the palace,” Liam added, and within seconds one of the house staff retrieved Marabelle. Brianna mounted her with a little help from Liam, her ridiculously huge skirt billowing around the horse.  
  
“Hey girl, I missed you,” Brianna said to her horse, stroking Marabelle’s neck.  
  
Together she and Maxwell trotted around the room, waving to party goers and downing flutes of champagne. She felt so carefree, and her abdomen hurt from laughing so much.  
  
“My fellow Cordonians… today, I ride for Cordonia!” she yelled out from the horse, and Hana echoed her.  
  
“For Cordonia!”

 

“For Cordonia!” Liam cheered.

 

“Woo, riding a horse. Yay.”  
  
Maxwell leaned close to Brianna. “We should let some others ride around on the horses. Don’t worry though, nobody else will ride Marabelle. She’s yours.”

  
“Fair enough,” Brianna said, dismounting with Maxwell’s help. As soon as her feet touched the ground, she felt a tap on her bare shoulder. She turned right into Liam, who was grinning.  
  
“Brianna, I’m glad I caught you…”  
  
“Always happy to be caught. Is something on your mind?”

  
“We’ll be travelling back to the capitol within the week, and the coronation will be held soon after… we won’t get as much time to see one another, so I wanted to do something special for us… well, for _you_.”

 

Brianna smiled up at him, feeling the alcohol start to warm her limbs. “Oh, yeah? Like what?” she asked softly.

  
“My plan is a relaxing massage in the spa room along with candles, a jet tub… and me.”  
  
“Mmmm,” Brianna made an appreciative noise. That sounded like a great way to end their day. “Wait, there’s a spa room?” She’d been forced to take all of her beauty appointments today in her room, not that she was _forced_ to do that, necessarily.

  
“Clearly you haven’t had enough down time since you’ve arrived. It’s on the third floor. I was hoping you could joi—” 

  
“Liam, there you are!” Olivia interrupted, sidling up to the prince. “Don’t forget that you promised me a drink…”

  
Liam smiled apologetically at Brianna. “Lady Brianna, if you’ll excuse me.” He leaned in, kissing her on the cheek, and lingered to whisper in her ear. “If you can, meet me later…”  
  
“We’ll see if I can get away,” she whispered back, pulling away and shooting them both a smile. He nodded and departed with Olivia.

 

 

 

The party raged into the night. Brianna kept drinking champagne, did whisky shots with Drake, had an intense conversation about poodles with Penelope, and even managed to listen to Kiara rant about something in French for a good five minutes. Brianna was feeling pretty tipsy, and she came out of the bathroom, looking at the hall with appraising eyes. There were spilled apples all over the floor. The bust of Maxwell’s great-grandfather was now riddled with cracks and chips, an arrow protruding from his eye and a Cordonian ruby sitting on top of his head, unscathed.  
  
Kiara was now in the corner of the room, silently staring into a glass of champagne. A horse was still lingering in the hall, and Penelope was beside it, her arm draped around the animal.  
  
“Too… too much… Je ne me sens pas bien,” Kiara mumbled as Brianna moved past her. She could hear Penelope’s conversation with the horse, too, which was comical.  
  
“You know, horse. You and I have so much in common. Hair, bodies, an adoration of poodles. You’re like… my equine soulmate.”  
  
Brianna stifled a giggle, rounding the corner to find Bertrand sitting against a column. He held a sword in one hand and an empty bottle of champagne in the other. “We gave those apples what for!” he said to no one in particular.  
  
Maxwell was dancing in the middle of all the carnage, looking fresh. “Break it down,” he called out, swiveling his hips. “Nice and slow.”  
  
“You’re still going?!” she asked in shock, stepping over a few apples to approach him.  
  
“If I stop, the party stops. It’s like that Louis the Fourteenth quote, ‘I am the party.’ How’re you feeling? I hope it wasn’t too hard on you.”

 

“I feel…” she considered his question, a slow smile spreading on her face. “Invincible.”

 

_Okay, she was now officially drunk._

 

“The rest here must be lightweights,” she laughed, and Maxwell joined in.  
  
“That, or you’re running on a huge adrenaline high. I’ve had those before. Watch out for the crash.”

  
“How bad is it?” she asked hesitantly.

 

“You’ll be out for twelve hours at least, but it will be some of the best sleep in your life.”

  
Drake approached, rubbing his face tiredly. “It’s over. I’m finally free.”  
  
“What do you mean ‘it’s over’? The party is just getting started,” Maxwell said, doing a weird dance move.  
  
“Lady Penelope is literally talking to a horse. The party has done its job.”

 

“Your mane is so soft,” Penelope said, stroking the horse. “You have to tell me who does your hair.”

 

Brianna let out a snort of laughter. “Ohhhhh wow. Back home, this was always about the time we’d break out a game of truth or dare, but I bet you guys are ‘too classy’ for that,” she said with air quotes, winking at Drake.  
  
“You’d be wrong! I love truth or dare!” Maxwell said, pumping his fist.

 

Hana poked her head into the conversation. “Truth or dare? That sounds dangerous…”

 

“Well… only if you have something to hide… or a fear of embarrassing stunts…” Brianna giggled.  
  
“It sounds… fun!” Hana decided, beaming.

 

“I can’t believe you’ve never played!” Brianna paused. “Well, okay, yeah, I can. But now we’ve got to do it.”

  
“Oh no. I’m not playing truth or dare,” Drake crossed his arms, levelling her with a serious look.  
  
“Come on, Drake, we should do it,” she coaxed him. “For Hana?”

 

Hana looked to Drake, her face open and innocent. “I wouldn’t want to pressure you guys into doing something on my behalf.”

 

“But I would! Do it! Do it!” Maxwell chanted, laughing as he circled Drake.  
  
Drake’s lips pulled into a frown. “I see where this is going…”  
  
Maxwell got louder. “Drake! Drake! Drake!”  
  
“Okay… fine. I’ll play. Just stop chanting my name.”

 

“Woooohoooo! Someone’s going streaking tonight!” Maxwell shouted, shimmying his chest.  
  
“We can play in my room!” Hana offered, her excitement written all over her face. They followed Hana to her room, settling into her seating area. Hana looked around at all of them, wiggling a little in her chair.  
  
“This is so exciting! How do we start?” she asked, looking to Maxwell.  
  
“Usually with a few drinks,” Drake said, and Hana stood up, rubbing her hands together.  
  
“Ooooh, there’s a full bar! What do you guys want?”

 

Maxwell replied quickly. “Make me something fruity and delicious! I know! I want Sex on the Beach!” he declared.

  
“Oh my! I don’t think…” Hana trailed off weakly, and Maxwell cut in quickly as he stood.  
  
“It’s a drink… never mind, I’ll make it myself.”

 

Drake shook his head slightly at their antics. “I’ll just have—”

 

“Lemme guess,” Brianna slurred slightly, “whisky.”

  
“I’m getting predictable, aren’t I?” he said, meeting her gaze.

  
“Maybe just a little bit,” she admitted, holding her thumb and forefinger out to show just how little.

 

“What about you, Brianna?” Hana asked.

  
“Hmmmm… I’m a little drunk as is…” Brianna looked around, laughing. “Ah, hell. Get me a whisky, too, please. I can’t make Drake drink alone.”

  
“I’m not drinking alone, Richardson,” he pointed out, but she shrugged, accepting the glass from Hana.  
  
“Cheers, friends! Thank you for joining me tonight!” Hana said, and they clinked their glasses.  
  
“Cheers.”

  
“To friendship!” Maxwell sang.  
  
“To friendship! And truth or dare,” Brianna added.

  
“Oh boy, this is going to be a long night,” Drake sighed, but she could see the warmth in his expression.  
  
“Drinks have been accomplished! Now what comes next?” Hana asked, and Maxwell shrugged.  
  
“Someone goes first.”

 

“Richardson should start. This was her idea.”

 

Under Drake’s gaze, she felt her cheeks redden as she blushed. The things she’d like to do…  
  
“Okay, Brianna…” Maxwell interrupted her thoughts. “Truth or dare?”

 

“Hmmm. Truth.”  
  
“I was hoping you’d say that. I’ve got a great one for you,” Maxwell said. “If you were stranded on a deserted island, where you’ll never see anyone or any civilization ever again… which one of us would you want with you?”  
  
“Drake,” she said immediately.

  
“Me?” Drake looked stunned. He shook his head. “Be honest, Richardson, you just want me there so I’m suffering as much as you are.”

 

Brianna looked at him, her lips tugging up into a curve. She licked her bottom lip slowly, and she felt herself tighten as he shifted in his seat, eyes flaming. “Mmhmm. Mostly just to see how you’d look in a grass skirt,” she corrected.  
  
“Hey!” he said, his tone lighter than the smoldering look he was giving her.  
  
_Fuck me, fuck me, fuck me._

  
Maxwell was laughing, and she diverted her attention. This was too much for how much she’d been drinking.  
  
“Just kidding,” Brianna said. “I think you’d be gruff and grumpy, but deep down, when it counts, you’d probably save me from a tiger or something.”

 

“Well, I’d feel terrible if a tiger ate my only companion,” Drake admitted.  
  
“And there wouldn’t be any nobles around, or courtly intrigue, or gossip. Just you and me. In fact, I think you might _enjoy_ being stranded more than palace life,” she pointed out, and his lips twitched.

  
“You never know.”

 

“Okay, Maxwell, it’s your turn now. Truth or dare?” Brianna asked.

 

“Dealer’s choice!” Maxwell grinned and leaned back in his chair. “I’m not afraid of anything!”

 

“Okay, then tell us a secret that no one else knows about you,” she replied with a mischievous smile. Maxwell was such a rambunctious guy, she hoped that throwing him a truth question would shatter his confidence a little—all in the fun of the game, of course.

  
“Aw, I’m an open book! Everyone knows everything about me!” he chuckled, but she shook her head.

  
“Nope,” Drake quipped, and she met his eyes and she could tell they were both thinking the same thing, remembering that envelope of cash.

  
“Not true at all,” Brianna agreed.  
  
“We know almost nothing about you!” Hana added.

  
Maxwell thought for a moment. “Well, all anyone ever had to do was ask. Okay, let’s see… I hate carousels.”

 

“Really?” Brianna asked. “I thought everyone loved carousels…”

 

“When I was little, the royal court took all the kids to a theme park for the prince’s birthday. When we were on the carousel, some reporters got in and mobbed us.” A frown pulled at his lips. “The security team did their best to get us all out of there, but I was the last one they got to. So I was stuck on this dumb carousel for what seemed like forever with people taking pictures and shouting questions at me. I was only three… I had no idea what was really going on…”

 

Brianna put a hand on Maxwell’s back and rubbed it soothingly. The memory seemed to be really close to him, and he was looking agitated. He smiled at her gently and continued. “And because our parents had spent so much time trying to warn us about dangers, I thought I was about to get murdered.”  
  
“Aww… Maxwell…” she said softly, feeling her features twist in empathy.

 

“I’m fine. It was a long time ago.”

 

“Still…” Hana said weakly, her face pulled into concern for Maxwell.

 

“Aw, geez, this is why I don’t like to talk about serious stuff. I’m fine, you guys! Just forget it!” His hands waved their concerns off dismissively. “Next up… Hana, truth or dare?”

 

“Oh! Um… truth.”

 

“Lots of truth tonight,” Brianna commented with a raised brow.

 

“Tell us about your first kiss,” Maxwell asked after a slight pause.

 

“My first kiss?” Hana repeated in disbelief.

 

“You _have_ been kissed, right?” he asked slowly, and Hana turned pink.

 

“Yes, of course.”

 

“You were engaged, after all,” Brianna said, shooting Maxwell a look.

 

“Well… it was actually a very chaste courtship. Our first kiss was in front of a professional photographer for our engagement photo shoot. My parents were insistent that we publish a very public announcement in front of all the papers.” Hana took in a deep breath and pushed it out slowly. “It was… somewhat awkward.

 

“He wasn’t a great kisser?” Brianna asked, pulling a face.

 

“He missed.”

 

Drake scoffed. “Missed?” When Hana nodded in confirmation, he shook his head. “How?”

 

“He kissed my ear,” she said. “Well, he punctured his lip on my earring, actually. He started bleeding. I felt terrible. My parents were furious that he ruined my dress. It was a complete disaster.”

 

Brianna shook her head in disbelief. “Hana, you deserved a better first kiss than that!” She downed the rest of her whisky, feeling dangerous and invincible, a deadly combination. “How about a do-over right now with me?”

 

“Really? Can you do-over a first kiss?” Hana asked with a nervous giggle.

 

“The rules of truth or dare say…” Brianna pretended to flip through a rule book. “Yes.”

 

“Okay, then!”

 

Brianna leaned over, pressing her lips to Hana’s sweetly. When she pulled away, Hana was blushing furiously.

  
“Better than last time?”

 

“Much!”

 

“Okay, my turn again!” Maxwell said, clapping his hands together. “Brianna, I dare you to go streak through the ballroom in your underwear!”

 

“That’s not fair! It’s not her turn,” Hana pointed out.  
  
Drake nodded. “Yeah, and she didn’t even choose dare.”

  
“Well _someone_ should streak tonight or this game is a bust. Come now, Brianna, it’s your game. Who will it be?” Maxwell asked, his eyes sparkling.

 

She put her fingers to her chin, tapping against her skin gently. “Drake.”

 

* * *

 

 

After much persuading, the group made their way to the empty ballroom, giggling the whole way.  
  
“The things I do for you people,” Drake grumbled, undressing quickly. Brianna wasn’t shy about letting her eyes run over his broad chest, marvelling the way his muscles moved as he undid his pants and slipped them off.

 

_Holy hell._

 

There was something so intimate about that move, and Brianna’s cheeks were likely bright red under her foundation. Luckily Drake took a deep breath and dashed quickly through the ballroom, a streak of black boxers darting around the tables. She was getting so turned on just watching him move, she had to look away.

  
“Woo! Go Drake!” she called, clapping as he made his way back and stopped in front of them.

  
“Satisfied?” he asked, breathing a little heavier, his chest moving with the deep breaths.

 

_Not even close._

“Yep!” Maxwell giggled. “Now what?”

 

“I’m going to join in!” Brianna decided, turning her back to the group as she unzipped her dress, letting it fall around her. She stepped out of her heels and turned around with her arms crossed. “We can’t make Drake do this alone. Come on, Hana!”

 

Hana giggled. “Hee hee… okay! It does look like fun!” With a surprising speed, she slipped out of her own dress, standing proudly in her matching white underwear. “Let’s go!”

 

“Maxwell?” Brianna asked, eyeing him carefully.  
  
“I’ll be the photographer,” he suggested.

  
“Maxwell!” Brianna repeated, fiercer.

 

“I mean, I’ll stand guard!” he corrected.

  
Brianna, Drake, and Hana took off running around the ballroom. Brianna worked to keep her eyes anywhere but Drake’s body, throwing her head back in laughter as Maxwell cheered on the sidelines. It felt so freeing, so _fun_ to just act with reckless abandon.  
  
“Wooooooooo!” Brianna whooped, falling behind Drake. His arms raised in triumph as he shouted, “Freeeeeeeeedom!” She let her eyes trace the curves of his ass, too drunk to feel ashamed, too aroused to avoid it.

  
“Truth or dare!” Hana cheered, racing past Maxwell and doing another lap. The group dissolved into raucous laughter as they scooped up their close and darted to Hana’s room. They all collapsed into the bed, wiping their eyes and panting. Maxwell ran to the bathroom, claiming he was going to pee his pants, and Hana bounced up to get dressed.

  
Brianna looked to Drake quickly and was surprised to see his eyes had already found hers hungrily. With a hesitation, she raised her hand to touch his chest, pausing and searching his eyes. When Drake moved his chin slightly, she took that as a yes, and let her fingers meet his skin briefly. It was hot and firm under her touch, and she sat up immediately after, moving to pull her dress back on. This was playing with fire. She was a little embarrassed to admit she was aching with need, and doing shit like this didn’t help… it was actually like torture.

 

“I can’t believe we just did that!” Hana said, exhilarated as she adjusted her dress straps.

 

“Ah, the magic of truth or dare,” Drake agreed, his lopsided smile directed to Brianna.

 

“This was so much fun! Thank you,” Hana sighed happily.

 

“Any time,” Brianna offered, smoothing down her full skirt.

  
“Yeah, you know me,” Maxwell said, coming back into the room. “I don’t need much of an excuse to party.”  
  
Drake nodded slowly. “And I’m… still not sure why I cam this time, but I guess I’d do it again.”

 

“Drake, I think we’re graduating from friends to _best_ friends!” Hana squealed, despite Drake’s immediate shock. He raised his hands, palms out, and stepped back.

 

“Whoa, whoa, whoa… let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”

 

“I dunno, man. We all drink together, goof off together, spend most of our time together…” Maxwell trailed off with a shrug.

 

“No…” Drake narrowed his eyes. He looked between the trio nervously. Hana hugged Drake’s arm, giggling drunkenly.

  
“It’s too late, Drake. We _are_ best friends!” Hana announced.

  
“I guess I’m just going to have to accept this, huh?” Drake asked drily, motioning to Hana, wrapped around his arm.

 

“It’s probably for the best. You could do _much_ worse than the three of us,” Brianna told him, and he smiled at her. She suspected the whisky was hitting him and he was feeling as buzzed as she was.

 

“That’s true, isn’t it?” he replied, then sighed. “Okay. You got me.”

  
“Yay!” Hana and Maxwell cheered simultaneously.

 

“Please tell me this isn’t a thing we do now,” Drake scowled.

 

“Drake?” Brianna said, and when she had his attention, she broke into a grin. “Yay!”

 

“I’m surrounded,” he said, throwing his hands up with a sigh.

 

“But in a good way, right?” Maxwell asked, wiggling his eyebrows at Drake.

 

“I said what I said,” Drake deadpanned.

  
Hana let out a huge yawn, and although she tried to clap her hands over her mouth to hide it, there was no denying they were all tired.

  
“Okay…” Maxwell trailed off, yawning as well. “We should probably call it a night before we break Hana.”  
  
Brianna agreed, and they all said goodbye before moving out into the hall. Hana followed them out, waving sweetly. “Good night! This has been a very memorable evening!”

  
Drake waved, looking back briefly. “Good night, guys.”

  
“G’night!” Brianna called after him, wishing she could throw him into an empty room. Instead, she pivoted on the spot and made her way to the spa. She certainly had some… _tension_ in her, and maybe the spa (or Liam) could help her release it. The third-floor landing was bare, and she poked around curiously, searching for the spa. “Liam?” she called softly, her brow furrowed. She moved down the hall when suddenly she was being encircled by a pair of strong arms.

 

“Brianna…” Liam purred in her ear, and she shivered.

 

“Liam!’

 

“I hope I didn’t surprise you. I came out to find you since I wasn’t sure if you knew where to go…”

 

Brianna turned into his chest and snuggled into his embrace with a happy, albeit drunk, sigh. “I’m not really complaining… but maybe we should get out of the hall.”

  
“This way,” he said, dropping his arms but leading her hand in hand to the spa, through a door and a short hallway. They stepped into a tranquil, quiet spa room that was all pale blonde wood and mint green walls. Liam had lit candles and put on some soothing music.  
  
“Wow…” Brianna said as she sighed, looking around. There were two massage tables with pristine white sheets, lined with flickering candles, and a bottle of champagne with two glasses. “I had no idea this was here. If only I’d asked Maxwell to be more thorough on the house tour… This is beautiful, Liam.”

 

She paused, biting her lip nervously. “You keep doing all these nice things for me.”

 

“You deserve them.”

 

“Mmm… I do, don’t I?” Brianna flashed him a smile. “And you deserve a kiss.”

 

They drew closer, and she looped her arms around his neck, pulling him down and kissing him deeply. She was aching with sexual need, and Liam returning her kiss with passion stoked a flame in her.  
  
“Brianna… you have no idea how badly I’ve been wanting to do that the entire night…” Liam said as they parted. “Seeing you across the table, but not being able to touch you… to hold you… I don’t know how I’ll ever let you go.”

  
“Maybe you shouldn’t,” she mumbled, kissing his neck. He groaned lightly, she felt the movement of his vocal chords against her hips, and spoke.

  
“But then how would we make it into the hot tub? You should relax in the hot water a few minutes before a massage.” He grabbed her hand, leading her to the steaming tub. Jasmine flowers floated in the water and left the air with a relaxing scent. Liam started to unbutton his blazer, and she bit her lip, letting her eyes follow his movements.

 

“Something you like?” he asked with a soft chuckle.

 

“Yes. Very much so.”

 

Liam shot her a grin and slowly stripped off his shirt, taking the bottom hem and twirling it over his head. It elicited a laugh from her, and she nudged him.

  
“Alright, alright, let’s get into the tub…”  
  
He unbuttoned his pants and kicked off his shoes, lowering himself into the steaming water with a sigh. Brianna followed suit, slipping her dress off and sinking in beside him. She submerged herself with the hot water, letting it lap at her skin. Together they sat for a moment before Liam wrapped his arms around her from behind, coaxing her to relax into him.  
  
“Ahhhh… this was a phenomenal idea,” Brianna complimented him, tilting her head back to rest on his chest.

 

“Yeah, I thought it’d be nice to experience some calm before the storm.”

 

“The storm? Is the coronation going to be that crazy?”

 

“Preparations for it will be hectic to say the least… there’ll be tasks to coordinate, speeches to write, people to meet…” Liam trailed off, and she could feel the sadness and stress in his tone.

  
“Sounds like you’re the one who could use the massage.”

 

Liam chuckled. “I’m not going to lie… I could use one. But I wanted tonight to be about you.”  
  
“Tonight can be about both of us,” she said. “How many more moments are we going to have like this? I want to make the most of it. Besides, I give a pretty excellent massage.”

  
“Another of your many talents?”  
  
“Yeah, it is. Along with my secret talent of being an amazing lover,” she quipped boldly, feeling Liam’s muscles tense at her words.  
  
_Mmmmm._

 

“Oh?” he stammered.

  
“Maybe I’ll demonstrate sometime if you’re lucky. Now, about that massage…” she said quickly, adjusting herself to sit behind Liam. Her hands went to his neck and shoulders so she could begin kneading the skin.  
  
“Wow, it’s like trying to soften rocks back here…”  
  
“Perhaps I have been carrying around a lot lately.”

 

“It’s probably the crown. Literally. How much does your weigh? I saw a photo of your dad wearing his, and it looks heavy,” she rambled.  
  
“It is heavy. That’s on purpose. You’re supposed to feel the weight of your responsibility…”

 

“Wow, good thing I offered to help out. You would’ve fallen over at the coronation if you’d gotten any tenser,” Brianna teased, kissing his shoulder as she worked her thumbs against his tight muscles.

  
Liam laughed, and she could hear the lightness in his tone when he responded. “You always have a unique way of looking at the world.”

 

“That’s me. Unique…”

 

After several minutes of massaging him, Liam finally relaxed into her hands. She started to run her palms down his back, letting her fingers trail over his bare skin…

  
“You’re quite good at this.”

 

“I’m glad I could help.”

 

“Now, let me return the favour,” Liam said, standing and helping her up in the tub. They toweled off, and he led her to a massage table. “Here, lay down and relax…”

 

“Oh, the bed is so soft. I could sleep…” she mumbled as she sank onto the table, the alcohol and hot water loosening her muscles and making her sleepy. As soon as Liam’s hands and the massage oil met her back, she was awake again, thrumming with arousal. The prince’s hands were firm as they ran down her body, and she let out a low groan in response. He massaged the knots from her legs, her arms, her back, her neck…

 

“Oh, wooooow…” she sighed. “That feels _great_ …”  
  
In response, he let his fingers trail down her back teasingly, and she couldn’t stand it any more. She propped herself up quickly and turned to him, pulling him down for a deep kiss. He responded after a moment where she had caught him off guard, sinking into it. Liam’s hands wrapped around her, wandering down her oiled back, and she moaned against his mouth at the feeling.

 

Liam let out a breathless chuckle against her lips, moving to gently bite down her neck. “This has been on my mind all day… having you here… with me…” he said in between planting kisses and nibbles on her neck, and Brianna tilted her head back in pleasure.

  
“Mmmm. You really restrained yourself.”

  
“I try… but it’s proving more and more difficult.”

 

Brianna adjusted herself on the table, swinging her legs off the edge of the table, one on each side of him. He groaned in response, his arms tightening around her waist, pressing her even closer. She found his lips, the feeling of his arousal against her driving her wild. Her tongue met his with unbridled passion.  
  
“Nothing’s holding you back now…” she whispered thickly. Liam kissed her long and deep and she could feel his wanting. Brianna pressed herself to him, responding until he stepped back, breathing hard.

 

“That’s not entirely true… even though I want you, Brianna… we shouldn’t…”

 

“Liam,” she groaned, “why don’t we go further?”

 

“Trust me, I want to… I want a lot of things,” he said darkly, his eyes flashing at her in the candlelight. 

 

“Me too.”

 

“And I intend for us to have them. But when we do… I want it to be perfect for you. You’re drunk, I’m stressed… soon there won’t be anything in the way. No lingering questions, no other women to worry about.”

 

Liam’s eyes searched her intensely. “And then? Oh, the plans I have for us, Lady Brianna…”

 

The energy between them shifted and he embraced her, pressing a kiss into her hair. “It’s getting late. We should get you back to your room.”  
  
“Mmm, okay,” she agreed, yawning.  He helped her into her dress gently and moved out of the room, looking over his shoulder.

 

“Come along now…” he teased, and she followed him to her room feeling utterly exhausted and wound tight. “Thanks for the evening,” he said as they paused in front of her door.

 

“I feel like you did the better job massaging than I did. If you weren’t a prince, I could see a very lucrative career as a masseuse…” she joked, laughing at his expression. “What is it?”

 

“I’m just happy to know that you enjoyed yourself this evening.”

 

“I did.”

  
  
Liam studied her, staring into her eyes. Blue on blue.

 

“I’m not sure when we’ll get a moment like this again…”

 

“I’ll make sure to hold on to it then…” she managed, kissing him sweetly. Brianna could feel his heart beating as he held her close. Once again, Liam pulled away before things got two heated.

 

“Good night, Brianna.”

  
  
“Good night, Liam.”

 

In the grogginess between awake and asleep, her hands traced her body. Brianna longed for Drake, remembered Liam’s strong chest, felt their lips on hers. She ignored the disorienting way her mind flip flopped between the two as slipped her fingers inside herself. Brianna felt the smoothness of herself, wishing for roughness against her cheeks; large, firm hands tracing her body; groans in her ear. This was a _need_. She was bucking against herself, panting, ready to collapse. As her orgasm contracted around her fingers, she sighed. Brianna’s hand fell away, flopping to the side.

 

Finally.

 

Relief, giving way to a dead sleep.

 

* * *

 

 

  
Brianna woke up groggily, turning to the clock. It was almost noon. There was a headache forming in the back of her skull, and she was keenly aware of her awful breath. Last night she’d gotten undressed and half-heartedly washed her face, but she’d only rinsed her mouth with mouthwash and she was paying for it dearly now.

  
Wait, it was _noon_?!  
  
Brianna threw on a nightgown and darted out into the hall, moving down the stairwell to find some of the staff helping the Beaumont brothers cleaning up the mess from last night.  
  
“Hey, why’d nobody come get me?” she asked, arms crossed.

  
Bertrand looked up at her, his face oddly… kind. “You earned a day to sleep in.”

  
“I… did?”

 

“We also thought it’d be better if we minimized the destruction from last night before you woke up,” Maxwell added.

 

“I could’ve helped you guys… you know that, right?”  
  
“We don’t want you wasting your energy when we’re heading into one of the most important events of our lives…” Bertrand reminded her, his eyes serious.  
  
Maxwell nodded eagerly. “The Coronation Ball is next, and after last night, all eyes are going to be on you!”

  
“So get what sleep you can.” Bertrand eyed the grand clock at the top of the staircase. “It’s not long before we depart for the palace.”

 

“Right,” Brianna said slowly, retreating the bedroom. The Coronation Ball. After all these weeks, it was finally approaching, and she wasn’t any clearer on her feelings and what they meant for her future.  
  
Could she pull off a coronation in the midst of her confusion?

 

* * *

* * *

 


	17. Chapter Seventeen: Humble Hana’s Heartbreak

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before the Coronation Ball starts, the ladies attempt to enjoy dinner together, but Brianna and Hana have other plans.

 

* * *

* * *

 

Brianna stretched out in her seat as the airplane touched down on the tarmac. It had been a hectic day following the Beaumont bash, and Brianna had managed to get herself together to help the brothers finish cleaning up the estate. It had been a huge job, and the quick flight back to the Cordonian castle was just long enough for a nap. Brianna was feeling a sort of excited nervousness about the ball tonight, but she was also mentally exhausted from running over her feelings every minute. She didn’t feel ready to face whatever was coming next.

 

“It’s such a short flight back to the palace,” she commented, and Bertrand looked her way.

  
  
“Much faster than traveling by limo, that’s certain. And every second counts today,” he agreed.

  
Maxwell let out a long, happy sigh. “I can’t believe the Coronation Ball is tonight.”

 

“I can,” Bertrand replied quickly, his eyes shining. “Everything we’ve worked for this season has led up to this.”

 

“I’m…” Brianna felt her lower lip tremble. “I’m having second thoughts. This is a lot of pressure to be under…”

 

She looked to Maxwell, her eyes filling with tears. He returned her gaze with a sympathetic but surprised expression. Brianna felt awful even saying it, but she had to get it out there. Her heart was pounding.

 

“That may be so, but this is no time for you to develop insecurities,” Bertrand snapped. “You’ve been nothing but overly confident and downright cocky at times. Shape up.”

 

Maxwell grinned, reaching across against his seat belt and squeezing her hand. “You wouldn’t have made it this far if you couldn’t do it, Brianna.” She felt guilty as hell. It wasn’t that she couldn’t do it… it was almost that she did _too_ well.

 

“Lady Brianna…” Bertrand levelled her with an intense gaze, and she sighed.

  
“I know, don’t mess up.”

  
“That’s not what I was going to say. Lady Brianna, I… I have faith in you.”

 

“Huh?” Brianna looked at him, confused. “Oh! Thank—”

 

Bertrand cut her off with a rough clearing of his throat. “Ahem, but there’s still ample time for you to disappoint me.”

 

She laughed, a true laugh from her gut, and felt some her worry dissolve. “That’s more like what I was expecting.”

 

* * *

 

 

They made their way onto the tarmac, towards the airport, and Brianna stifled a huge yawn as Bertrand was lecturing her about the ball.

  
“Now, I trust that you’re ready for the coronation? Have you prepared your gift for the prince?” he asked her, and she mumbled something in response without thinking.

  
“Wait, gift?”

 

“ _Maxwell!_ ” Bertrand snarled, whipping around to face his brother.

  
“Oh, right!” Maxwell slapped his forehead dramatically. “The coronation gift! Er, sorry, Bree… I guess it just slipped my mind.”  


“Every guest traditionally presents the crown prince with a gift befitting his station,” Bertrand explained, and Maxwell nodded along guiltily.

 

“Don’t worry! I’m sure Bree and I can throw something together real quick.”  
  
Bertrand exuded anger. “Some houses spend months cultivating rare flowers or crafting elaborate culinary delicacies.”

 

“We should be fine,” she said with a frown. Bertrand crossed his arms and shook his head at Maxwell.  
  
They stood in silence for a few moments, the awkward, tense vibe thickening the air around them until Maxwell snapped his fingers as a thought came to him.  
  
“Brianna, how are you at poetry? Maybe you could present him with a poem in one of those fancy envelope thingies! Now, what rhymes with Liam…”

 

“No,” she laughed, looping her arm through his, “but come with me.” They giggled, leading the way to the airport with Bertrand trailing huffily.

 

She led the brothers through the airport, stopping at a few gift shops. She was nervous, Maxwell was relentlessly optimistic, and Bertrand soured everything. It was a stressful operation to say the least, but she had no choice but to figure something out.

 

“Ohhh, look! That shop over there has trinkets from around the world. Maybe there’s something here that would work…” Maxwell pointed out.

 

Bertrand scoffed. Loudly. “Really? The airport gift shop?”

 

“Couldn’t hurt to take a look,” Brianna agreed, moving to the gift shop with Maxwell, their arms still looped together. They split up once in the shop, with Bertrand standing at the threshold like crossing into the gift shop would burn his flesh. She made her way to a rack of keychains and spun it absentmindedly, until she noticed a little Statue of Liberty keychain. Her fingers ran over the smooth metal and a smile played on her lips as she remembered the night that set everything in motion.

  
“I think I’m onto something here,” Maxwell said, breaking her spell. “I’ve got… ‘with teeth so straight and white, his smile was ever bright…’ Oh, what’d ya find, Bree?”

 

“I think this could make a good gift to Prince Liam,” she said. Brianna held the keychain out for him to examine.   
  
“Oh, yeah! When we were in New York, he kept talking about the Statue of Liberty.”

 

“It’s a gift shop trinket,” Bertrand snapped. “You think that will impress a prince?”

 

“Well… we _were_ making progress on that poem…” Maxwell sighed, turning to her. “What do you think, Bree?”

 

“Trust me, it’s the keychain.” She held it up and dangled it from her finger. “He’ll understand what it means. There’s _sentimental_ value,” she added, sticking her tongue out at Bertrand.

 

Maxwell brought a finger to his head, tapping it to his head a few times as a slow grin spread on his face. “An inside advantage. I like it!”

 

“If we’re done gift shopping, we have a ball to prepare for,” Bertrand said finally, and Brianna paid for the keychain quickly, following the brothers out of the gift shop.  
  
“Let’s goooo! Team Beaumont, on the road again!” Maxwell cheered as they made their way to the waiting limo. One thing about travelling so often was that Brianna was learning to pack much lighter and avoid the nightmare of baggage claims.

 

* * *

 

 

Bertrand allowed them a few minutes of silence as the limo wound through the city before he cleared his throat, ready to launch into coaching.

 

“Now, it’s time to get you ready Lady Brianna. We’ll be heading to Cordonia’s most upscale boutique. It’s perfect for preparing ladies for their grand arrival. Find something nice, and we’ll pick you up for the ball when you’re ready.”

  
Maxwell shot her a thumbs up. “Good luck Bree!”

 

“For House Beaumont!” she called back as the limo rolled to a stop and the driver let her out. She could vaguely hear Maxwell echoing her cheer and Bertrand scolding them. She laughed and made her way up the stairs to the boutique. It was a sleek black and gold building, all sharp angles and smoky glass. Immediately she spotted Hana, who was fussing with her gorgeous, glossy brown hair, and Olivia, who was holding a dashing red dress to her body.

 

“Brianna!” Hana squealed, moving over to give her a hug. Brianna squeezed back and stepped away, smiling broadly.   
  
“Well, well… look who dared to show up,” Olivia drawled.

  
“Mmm… Hello to you too, Olivia.”

 

“I suppose you’re here to prepare for the ball,” Olivia mused, and Brianna smiled sweetly at her. How… astute.

 

“You’d be correct,” she replied. Brianna moved to Hana, who held up a gorgeous black chiffon dress to her frame.

  
“Brianna, have you thought about what you’ll wear?” Hana asked.

 

“Not exactly,” Brianna admitted with a dry chuckle.  
  
“A piece of advice,” Olivia cut in, eyeing the girls from head to toe. “You’d better not wear red. That’s _my_ colour.”  
  
“I guess I’ll have to wear red then.” Brianna laughed as Olivia’s face scrunched up in anger. “I’m kidding. What makes red your colour?”

 

“You’ll see.”

 

Olivia stepped to the closet to change dramatically, and Brianna shot Hana a look of exasperation.  “I see Olivia is as prickly as ever.”

 

“I think even she knows Prince Liam could very well pick you tonight to be his bride,” Hana said cheerful tone. “How does it feel? Have you thought about it much?”

 

Her voice was quivering with excitement, and Brianna offered a wobbly smile. “I’m… I haven’t thought about it too much. I…” She stopped, looking at the closet where Olivia was within earshot. She didn’t have many options, so she decided to fake it, or at least amp up the parts of the ball she was genuinely looking forward to.

 

“I’m so excited! It’s been a crazy journey to end up here.”

 

“It has been. I’m glad I was here to share it with you.”

 

“Likewise, Hana.”

 

“He’s going to pick you for sure.”

 

Olivia stepped out from the fitting room in a stunning red dress with a plunging neckline and silver thread woven among the crimson. It hugged her prominent curves lovingly, and even Brianna had to admit that Olivia looked absolutely stunning.

 

“Feast your eyes on this, ladies! You’re looking at a future queen. Praise me now, and maybe I’ll let you carry my goblets.”

 

Something about that made Brianna shiver gently, like a whisper up her spine. Although she hadn’t really dwelled on it, she supposed there was a chance this whole adventure would be over for good. She could return to New York, either by Liam not choosing her, or, if he did… maybe if she declined. Best not to dwell on that for too long.  The thought made her surprisingly melancholy.

 

“You look great, Olivia!” Hana chimed in with a sincere smile.

 

“Praise doesn’t mean much coming from a second-tier suitor like you but thank you all the same.”

 

“Second-tier?” Hana asked.

 

“You know,” Olivia began, her smirk curving up as she stepped closer. “I had you as a third-tier at the beginning of the season, so good job working your way up.”

 

“Olivia, you look great, but even the most expensive dress won’t hide your childishness,” Brianna quipped easily, turning to look at a dress of crushed velvet. Her fingers moved over the emerald material. It was so luxurious against her fingers, and she wondered if she became queen, would she ever get used to this lifestyle?

  
“I do not act like a child,” Olivia defended lamely.

 

“You’re right,” Brianna agreed absentmindedly, looking over her shoulder at Olivia. “I’ve seen toddlers with more composure than you.”

 

“Ha!” Hana clapped a hand over her mouth to smother her laughter. “Okay, I’m going to change into my dress now.”

 

“As though what you’ll wear even matters at this point,” Olivia laughed cruelly, examining her nails as Hana brushed by, holding the garment bag to her chest.  
  
“Olivia, you know, we can all be friends. I mean, you’re a nasty bitch, but it doesn’t have to be like this,” Brianna said, motioning vaguely between the girls. “It feels good not being lonely all the time. If you ever want to start playing nice… we’re here for you.”

 

Olivia eyed her carefully, finally crossing her arms. “If anything, _you’re_ the one who needs reminding.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“This is a competition, in case you’ve forgotten.” Olivia moved closer, lowering her voice. “It might fun to buddy up with Hana, but at the end of the day, she’s going to go away heartbroken.” Olivia searched Brianna’s face, her own red lips pulling into a frown. “And have you ever considered that you might be the cause?”

 

“I…” Brianna shook her head, feeling slow and foolish.

 

“I’m only saying that this competition is hard enough. You should protect yourself, Brianna.” Olivia moved away, picking up a stunning silver clutch. She looked like she was about to leave, but she paused and turned to Brianna again. “And remember that people around here _never_ play nice.”

 

“Including you.”  
  
Olivia grinned. “Especially me.”

 

Hana popped out of the fitting room in a gorgeous white and silver floor length gown. It seemed to be made of liquid silver, pouring over her body, and it was quite daring for her. “Well? What do you think?”

 

“You look stellar! Hana! Seriously, you look amazing,” Brianna gushed, twirling her finger in the air to indicate that Hana should spin. Hana obliged, and Brianna nodded her approval.

 

“And now it’s your turn Brianna,” Olivia said. “I can’t wait to see what you’ll pick.”

 

Brianna picked up the garment bags she’d been eyeing up and brought them to the fitting room. She’d been looking between two options. One was a red silk dress, and it really only appealed to her once Olivia told her it was off-limits. Really though, it was the strapless ballgown that she knew was a perfect fit.

 

The bodice shaped her so perfectly, billowing out into a full skirt. The dress was white with a swirling golden pattern across the fabric, highlighted by delicate beadwork. She slipped into a pair of strappy gold heels, added a sparkling necklace, and tucked her hair up into a weird braided updo that looked surprisingly nice. Brianna let out a shaking breath and stepped out of the fitting room and smiled. Dresses like this just made you feel like a total princess, and she wasn’t going to pretend otherwise.   
  
“Your Cinderella has arrived,” she spun around, letting her skirt kick up a little around her.

 

“Wow… it’s perfect!” Hana admired softly, her smile sweet.  
  
Olivia sighed loudly, and Brianna jumped. She hadn’t realized that Olivia was still here, and when she turned to the redhead, she saw Olivia rolling her eyes. “Just because you think you’re a fairy-tale character doesn’t mean you’re going to get the prince.”

 

“Olivia, it’s not about ‘getting’ anyone… look, we’ll see,” Brianna shrugged. “Now then! Shall we?”

  

* * *

 

 

The girls headed outside, and Brianna let out a surprised gasp when she saw all the expensive, fancy cars lining the road. Olivia flounced along, stopping in front of a sleek white Rolls-Royce.   
  
“Well girls, this ride is mine. See you at the ball.” Olivia looked behind her as she started to slide in to the vehicle, pausing with a sleek grin. “I can’t wait to see what sort of dilapidated, worn-out prom-night limo Brianna arrives in!” Her laughter followed her inside the Rolls-Royce, and Brianna made a face to Hana.

  
Maxwell leaned out the window of their limo, farther down the line, and gave her a huge wave. “Bree! Er, Brianna! Over here!”

 

“Hana, where’s your ride?” she asked, looking to her friend. Hana looked a little nervous as her eyes scanned the line.

 

“It should be here soon…”

  
“We haven’t got _all_ night,” someone snapped, and Brianna couldn’t see him but she knew it was Bertrand.

 

“Oh! There it is!” Hana brightened as a horse-drawn carriage glided into view, elegant and luxurious. Brianna could feel her jaw drop as she looked to Hana.

  
“Uh… wow…”

  
“My parents thought one last display of wealth would be nice for the family name.”

 

“That… would do it,” Brianna agreed, nodding dumbfoundedly.

 

“Oh, I’ve got extra room!” Hana nudged Brianna gently with her arm. “You’re welcome to ride with me if you’d like.”

 

Brianna looked to the Beaumont limo, and Bertrand was practically jumping out the window, calling for her to take the carriage.

  
“I think that’s a yes from my sponsor,” she laughed, following Hana into the carriage.   
  
“We’ll see you at the ball, Bree!” Maxwell called as the limo inched up in the line, and she waved goodbye, settling into the carriage.

 

Nerves were starting to strum her veins and twist her stomach. This was real, and this was _really_ it. Everything was going to change one way or the other tonight. She and Hana made small talk, but it was evident they were both anxious about the evening’s events and not fully focusing on the conversation.

 

The carriage pulled up inside of the gates of the estate. Suitors were walking the red carpet towards the front door as the press recorded their every move. Brianna and Hana gathered their thoughts in the carriage before stepping out, and Brianna eavesdropped on the bustle outside, peeking out the window.  
  
“Lady Olivia!” one of the press called out, “How does it feel to be referred to as ‘The Scarlet Duchess’?”

 

“It feels good,” Olivia purred, shooting him a mischievous smile. “Ever since I was a child, I’ve always said red was my colour.”

 

Oh, how Brianna regretted not wearing that divine red satin dress now. Still, she looked every bit a princess in her stunning gown.

_Was that even how she wanted to look?_

_What would Drake say?_

 

Another press member spoke up. “Countess Madeleine, how does it feel to be attending the Coronation Ball as one of the leading suitors?”

 

“Words can’t begin to describe the feeling. All I know is that my love for Cordonia will never die.” Madeleine posed for the press expertly, and Brianna watched in amazement.

  
“It’s busy,” Brianna commented, watching the throngs of press crowd on each suitor.   
  
“This just in, we’ve just received word that Lady Brianna has arrived!” Donald, one of the press, called out to his camera—presumably for live television.

 

“Coming to you live, it’s ‘The American’ herself,” Ana, another member of the press, said eagerly. The reporters began to swarm the carriage, and Brianna looked to Hana.

 

“I guess we can’t hide out much longer, huh?” Brianna commented drily, noticing that some members of the press were abandoning their current interviews. Madeleine and Olivia looked particularly upset at that development.

  
Brianna stepped out of the carriage, a coy smile on her lips as she descended to meet the reporters. Ana was waiting, sleek as ever, with a smirk.

  
“Lady Brianna, you know how to make an entrance. Can you tell us more about the carriage you rode in?”

 

“The carriage ride was courtesy of Lady Hana,” she replied, motioning to Hana who had appeared beside her.   
  
“It was my pleasure,” Hana said.

 

“Friendship blossoming even during competition? I love it,” Ana said, jotting down a few notes.

  
“Yes, Lady Hana has been an amazing support system for me in Cordonia. I’m so lucky to have found a friend like her in this whirlwind of a social season.”

 

Hana smiled back at her, and they posed for a few photos.

 

“Now, I apologize, but we must head inside,” Brianna cut in smoothly, and with the reporters taking their last few photographs, the girls headed to the palace.

  
“That was fun,” Hana giggled, looping her arm through Brianna’s.

  
“I know! I must’ve really made a name for myself. Hopefully my reputation is squeaky clean.”

 

“Oh…” Hana dropped her arm from Brianna’s as she noticed a man motioning to her near the entrance of the palace.

  
“Is that a secret admirer?” Brianna’s face lit up in excitement. If he was, that meant Brianna could tell Hana about Drake, and get her advice…

 

“It’s a messenger,” she replied flatly, stepping away. “I’ll be right back.”

 

Brianna nodded and kept to herself as Hana moved to the messenger.  They spoke in hushed tones, and Brianna couldn’t make out anything that was being said. Not that she wanted to listen in necessarily, but a little curiosity wasn’t a bad thing. Hana looked startled but composed herself quickly and made her way back to join Brianna.

 

“What was the news? Is everything okay?”

 

“Oh, it was instructions from my parents on what to do with the carriage after tonight,” Hana replied, looking down. “Nothing major.” She put on a smile and pushed her hair back. “Now then, let’s continue on with the night!”

 

They entered the palace (more accurately they were ushered into the palace by security) where they entered a receiving line to greet the king and queen. Lady Kiara stood in front of them, looking dazzling in a black lace dress.

 

“…So of course, the prime minister told me I shouldn’t even _think_ of eating the chocolates! As if our trade would collapse if I sampled a truffle,” Kiara laughed, and the queen joined in.

  
“You have the most amusing stories, Lady Kiara,” the queen chuckled, resting a hand on her own cheek in amusement.

  
“Merci, your majesty.”

 

Kiara moved to let Brianna approach, and she came face to face with the king and the queen once more. Her heart beat faster as she ducked into a curtsy, rising gracefully. The fullness of her skirt worked beautifully for the motion, and she truly felt like a royal.

  
“Good evening, your majesties,” she greeted warmly.

  
“Good evening, Lady Brianna,” Constantine smiled.

  
  
“It’s a pleasure to see you both again. Thank you for inviting me tonight.”

 

“We wouldn’t dream of keeping you away,” Regina said, frowning slightly in thought. “Though you aren’t as well-established as Lady Madeleine or Lady Olivia, I find your company interesting.”

 

The queen wasn’t one to mince words, she supposed. “Thank you.”

 

King Constantine grinned at her. “I must say you’ve been a real fixture at court lately, Lady Brianna, and it’s been delightful.” He lowered his voice, “I hope your station will become more permanent in the future.”

 

“Me too, sir,” Brianna smiled at him, and she realized at least part of her words were true. She was certainly confused about her future, but she knew she wanted to be in Cordonia. It was just a question of who with.

 

* * *

 

 

A server whisked her away from the king and queen after she curtseyed, and they went to the dining room together. The other ladies were seated and waiting, all looking absolutely radiant, and Brianna settled in to join them.

  
Penelope was gnawing on her lower lip anxiously, and she heaved a sigh as soon as Brianna got settled. “Even though I know he’s not going to choose me, I’m still so nervous,” she rushed out.

  
“One never knows, ma Cherie,” Kiara purred, tapping Penelope’s hand with hers gently. “There’s still a chance.”

 

“Hah.” Madeleine eyed the ladies with a small frown. “You’re delusional if you think that.”

 

Olivia titled her head and let a big, slow smile spread across her painted lips. “I couldn’t agree more.”

 

Brianna bit her tongue, literally and figuratively. Thankfully the servers started the meal right away, bringing out the first course of salad. Brianna examined it as a server set the plate down in front of her. It looked picturesque, with dark, leafy greens, walnuts, and cranberries.

 

“Lady Brianna, your dress looks very expensive,” Penelope said, spearing some salad on her fork.

 

“Thank you!” she replied with a smile, though it fell after a moment. “…I think.”

 

“Yes, you were smart to stay away from _my_ colour,” Olivia agreed.

 

“What can I say? I liked this dress more.”

 

Madeleine chuckled delicately. “Oh, dear Olivia… and what would you have done if Brianna had worn red? Stamped your foot and thrown a fit in the middle of the ball?”

 

“I would’ve thought of something,” Olivia snapped back, stabbing at her salad angrily. “Ugh, I hope tonight is the last time we ever have to interact.”

 

“You know that’s unlikely. We’ll be summoned back for the engagement tour and the wedding…” Madeleine trailed off, shrugging. “We’ll all be called upon to show our support for whoever the prince chooses after all.”

 

“We will?” Kiara asked, looking around the table. Brianna felt glad she wasn’t the only one confused about the engagement tour that Madeleine mentioned.

 

“Of course,” Madeleine said, clicking her tongue gently. “I’m sure we can put our petty differences aside to support stability in Cordonia no matter who the winner is. Even you must appreciate that, Olivia.”

 

“It’s no matter at all, Lady Madeleine, since he’s going to pick me,” Olivia purred, licking her lips as she rose a glass of a wine to her lips.

 

The servers bustled to clear the appetizer plates and set down the main course of roast pheasant. The atmosphere was thick and tense at the table until Penelope clapped a hand over her mouth dramatically.

  
“Oh!” she gasped, “what if he doesn’t choose anyone at all? Wouldn’t that be scandalous?”

 

Madeleine smiled tightly. “He’ll pick someone. It’s his duty to do so.”

 

“Says who?” Brianna butted in. “Liam can do whatever he wants. He’s the _crown prince_ , after all.”

 

“How charmingly naïve,” Madeleine sighed. “He actually _can’t_. Cordonian kings must be engaged or married at the time of their coronation. By law, the prince _must_ pick someone to be his bride tonight.”

 

A little shiver ran up Brianna’s spine. “That’s ridiculous.” The ladies at the table shot her varying looks. “I just mean… what if he hasn’t found someone?”

 

“If it were any other year, that would be fine… but the king’s announcement, in effect, forces the prince’s hand.” Madeline glared at Brianna as she explained slowly. “Honestly, I can’t believe you might be our ruler if you don’t even understand that concept.”

 

“I understand it just fine,” Brianna scowled.

 

Penelope nodded. “Yes. Lady Brianna’s done a commendable job of picking up on our customs quickly, given that she wasn’t raised here.”

 

“Thanks, Lady Penelope.” Brianna smiled softly, feeling her eyes get ever so slightly misty.

 

“I think Lady Brianna will handle being queen with grace and poise, actually,” Kiara added.

  
Brianna cleared her throat gently, grinning. “Aww, Lady Kiara…”

  
“Hmm, Lady Penelope and Lady Kiara are so quick to defend you…” Madeleine mused with an air of annoyance. “Perhaps I did underestimate you.”

 

“What can I say? I like to make friends and influence people,” Brianna shot her a smug grin as she dug into the pheasant. After a few moments, she noticed that Hana hadn’t spoken since dinner started, and her food was untouched.

 

“Hana, is everything alright?” Brianna asked.

 

“Huh? Oh…” Hana reached to her eyes, dabbing at them delicately with her fingers. “Excuse me…”

 

Hana stood up and moved out of the room quickly. Brianna could see her through the open doorway. Hana bowed to the king and queen, ever the vision of grace, and they spoke for a moment… but then Hana ran from the room. Brianna stood instinctively and followed her, just in time to see Hana making her way up the grand staircase.

 

* * *

 

 

“Hana!” Brianna called after her, trying to hurry up the steps but fumbling over her high heels.

  
“Brianna. What are you doing here?” Hana turned around, a tear sliding down her cheek.

 

“I followed you. Is something the matter? You didn’t eat your dinner… does this have something to do with that messenger from earlier?”

 

Hana looked away, and Brianna knew she had struck a nerve. Hana’s profile was crumpled in sadness.  
  
“I… it’s not important, Brianna. You should go back.”

 

“Come on. You’ve got to be starving.” Brianna tapped her fingers to her lips in thought, and her face brightened. “Hey, why don’t we go to your room and order everything on the room service menu and you can tell me all about it?”

 

Hana looked to Brianna sadly. “Tonight isn’t about me… It should be about you and Liam. Go. You deserve to have your special moment.”

 

“Hana… we’re getting room service.”

 

Hana gave her a weak smile, and they made their way to Hana’s room. It was all gorgeous lilacs and teals, and Brianna felt relaxed as soon as Hana shut the door.

 

“Alright, what’s the matter?” Brianna asked, sitting down on the end of the bed and kicking off her heels. Her ballgown poofed out around her dramatically.

 

“I wasn’t enjoying dinner,” Hana said.

 

“Me either. The other ladies can be a lot to deal with…” she prompted, offering Hana a kind smile.

 

“It’s not that. The pageantry feels so empty and meaningless right now.”

 

“Why’s that?”

 

“It’s just…” Hana sighed, settling down on the chair in front of her vanity. Her eyes were settled on a spot just behind Brianna’s head. “I’m certain Prince Liam is going to choose you.”

 

“Hana… I’m sorry,” she offered weakly. There wasn’t a point denying it, though Brianna still wasn’t convinced she was going to be chosen. Still, she had to agree it was very unlikely Hana would be chosen and arguing wouldn’t do any good at this point.   
  
“It’s not your fault. It’s how the social season works. I knew it’d be a long shot for me to win his hand, anyway.” Hana met Brianna’s eyes. Hana looked devastated, and tears were trickling down her cheeks. “I only didn’t expect that I’d feel this way right now.”

 

“Now, I’m sure everything will look better once we’ve got a room service feast at our fingertips,” Brianna said, shooting a smile at her friend.

  
Hana sighed. “This isn’t a hotel. We don’t have room service.”

 

“What?” Brianna looked appalled. “We’re ladies of the court. One of us will be the future queen!”

 

“Well…” Hana’s face grew contemplative. “We do have access to the service staff in case we need anything.”

 

“Perfect! Let’s pick up our phones and demand food like dignified ladies.”

 

“Yeah. I can do that!” Hana laughed happily, and Brianna felt her heart grow lighter at the sound of her friend’s excitement.

 

“Make us a feast worthy of two ladies-in-waiting.”

 

Hana obliged and picked up her phone, ordering various spreads of food to be delivered to the room. As soon as she hung up, Brianna burst out laughing.

 

“That sounded like a lot of food.”

  
Hana nodded. “You said ‘feast’, so we’re having a feast!”

 

* * *

 

 

The food was delivered remarkably quickly, and the girls brought in various dishes and laid them out, surveying their options.   
  
“Now _this_ is a meal,” Hana admired, waving her hand across all their plates.

  
“No kidding. Burritos, cakes, pasta, chicken, baked potatoes… a veggie tray? Optimistic,” Brianna winked at Hana. “Also, milkshakes _and_ champagne? Damn. I have to admit, I was expecting a tea party or some elegantly constructed theme.”

 

“The theme is ‘Food That Makes Me Happy.’” Hana grinned, cutting into a smothered burrito.

 

“I love it! Let’s dig in.”

 

“Oh dear, I hope we don’t make a mess…” Hana said, dabbing her lips with a napkin.

 

Brianna sipped her milkshake. “Let’s make a mess! Sometimes life can stand to get a little messy.”

  
“Okay!” Hana giggled.

 

They laughed, ate, and drank. Hana was a delight to see—she was cutting her burrito sloppily, slurping pasta with gusto, and had even taken a few swigs of champagne from the bottle.

  
“This is actually… kind of liberating,” Hana conceded.

 

“Hey, you’re a natural!” Brianna clapped, holding her hand out for the champagne.

 

Hana passed it along and sighed happily. “Normally, I’d consider this improper, but you’re right… sometimes you need to throw order and etiquette into the wind. Now, are you going to grab something else or do I have to eat everything?”

 

Brianna rolled her eyes, motioning to her piling plate. “I’m working on it!” She lifted the champagne bottle and took a deep swig. “You think I’m leaving you with all these carbs and alcohol?”

 

“You know I’m happy to share with you!”

 

Brianna giggled, setting the bottle down. “Hee. Bubbly.”

 

After a while, they abandoned the savory food and began to dig into the cake. Hana was attacking the dessert, and she wiped a glob of icing from her cheek, looking to Brianna with shining eyes, her lips curved into a grin.

  
“Remember when we first met?” Hana asked.

 

“Of course I do. It was here in the palace boutique… how could I forget the color of your underwear?”

 

Hana blushed furiously. “Yes, when you walked in on me changing.” Suddenly she burst into laughter. “It feels like that was forever ago.”

 

“It wasn’t _that_ long. You make it sound like those were ancient times.”

 

“No… but I’ve changed since I met you.  I’ve done things I never thought I was capable of doing. You helped me make friends where I expected to find only enemies and competitors. I even stood up to my parents!” Hana was beaming. “And now I…”

 

Hana’s face pulled into a frown. “I…” she looked down at her plate of smeared cake.

  
“Is something wrong, Hana?”

 

“The messenger I was talking to before dinner… he was sent by my parents. I’m going home after the Coronation Ball.”

 

“What?!” Brianna stood up quickly, moving to Hana. “Why?”

 

“They’re paying for me to win Prince Liam’s hand. The competition ends tonight, and I won’t be the winner. So it’s time to pack up and go home,” she shrugged as if it didn’t bother her, but Brianna could tell that it did.

 

“Oh…” Brianna faltered.

  
“I thought they might let me stay a bit longer at the royal court, but they think I’m getting too headstrong out here.” Hana let out a deep sigh. “Anyway, this is our last night together. I’ll be leaving in the morning.”

 

“Your parents can’t do this!” Brianna said, sitting on a little poofy chair across from Hana.

 

“Of course they can,” she replied with a sad smile. “They’re rich, they’re powerful and… they’re my parents. I still care about them, even though I disagree with what they want. I can’t disobey them. Tonight, Prince Liam will pick you to be his bride. You’ll want to start your life together.”

 

Brianna’s throat tightened. If Liam did pick her, was that what she wanted?

 

“You’re going to be _queen_ , Brianna! Do you realize what that means? You’ll be far too busy dealing with matters of the crown to even spare a thought for me.”

 

“That’s not true,” Brianna said quickly. “We’ll always be friends.”

 

Hana raised the champagne bottle in response. “To one last celebration.”

 

Brianna pumped her fist in the air. “To us.”

 

They took turns taking long swigs from the bottle, and Brianna shot a buzzed grin to Hana. “I’m glad we’ve had a celebration to remember.”

 

“Every moment with you is a celebration worth remembering,” Hana replied with a giggle, looking at the clock. “I’m glad you came up here with me, so we could spend one last night together. But I think it’s time we head back. You’ve got a big moment tonight.”

 

“Okay,” Brianna agreed, standing slowly. “Hana? What if… what if I was picked but I didn’t say yes? I mean, Liam could totally pick someone else, too, but just… what if?”

 

Hana was watching her closely. “What do you mean, Brianna? Why would you say no?”

  
_Drake._

“I was just wondering.”

  
“I’m… well, if you said no, the prince would be forced to choose another suitor, like Madeleine mentioned at dinner.” Hana frowned in thought. “You would not refuse a prince’s choice, Brianna. You are a suitor. You would have to drop out of the running now.”

 

“Okay,” Brianna said, numbly. What was she supposed to do?

 

“Is everything alright, Brianna?”

  
“Oh, yeah. Mmhmm…” she smiled at Hana widely. “Champagne’s just going to my head.”

 

Brianna was more confused than ever, and her heart was pounding. The ball couldn’t stop, and she wouldn’t drop out, but she was having trouble even breathing in this moment.

 

The show must go on.

 

* * *

* * *

 


End file.
